A rescued turtle gave officials at the Salthaven West Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre a happy surprise after being run over by a vehicle.
CBC reported that someone called the nonprofit shelter to report an injured turtle June 5, and the rehabilitation team answered the call. Sadly, the turtle's shell had cracked in multiple places.
"Upon intake we realized the extent of the fractures were pretty severe," Salthaven West clinic manager Natalia Slipak told CBC. "There was a piece of the carapace that was hanging."
Further examination with an X-ray revealed that the western painted turtle was concealing a joyous secret. It had eggs that survived the encounter with the vehicle.
"We were very happy to see that. That always makes us happy," Slipak added, explaining that the rehabilitation center temporarily mended the fractured shell with metal clips.
Because of the healthy eggs, the rescue team was eager to get the turtle back into the wild.
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According to the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan, vehicles aren't the only threat to western painted turtles, which are of "special concern" in Canada. The turtles are also victims of habitat loss and degradation, though restoration initiatives and cleanup efforts elsewhere have proved that floundering ecosystems can recover.
While the organization's action plan calls for the conservation of the turtle's native wetlands, it also noted how being aware of turtles on roadways is a simple way to help the creatures.
Salthaven told CBC that drivers should stop and wait for turtles to cross. However, if moving one of the reptiles becomes necessary, the turtle should be picked up by the shell and moved in the direction it was headed. The rescue team believes the turtle they saved had been on its way to lay the eggs when the vehicle hit it.
Fortunately, Salthaven released it back into the wild clip-free after more than two months of recovery.
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