In Windham, NH, turtles face serious risks while crossing roads in April through September. During warm weather, turtles become more active, and many travel across roads to find food, mates, or new habitats. Female turtles leave the water to lay their eggs in sandy or loose soil, often requiring them to cross busy streets. Baby turtles crossing the street to reach the water in late summer through fall can be killed or injured by cars, bikes, or even people walking who aren't paying attention. Male turtles cross streets to look for mates, food, and another place to live. Because turtles move slowly and are difficult to see, drivers may not notice them in time.

Everybody can help protect turtles by keeping an eye out for them, watching them cross safely and, if necessary, gently guiding them in the direction they are already heading. If you need to move a turtle, use caution and consider wearing gloves. Always release the turtle on the side of the road it was trying to reach.

Uninjured turtle sightings can be reported to the New Hampshire Reptile and Amphibian Reporting Program (RAARP). You can take a picture of the turtle, take a note of the location you saw it, and report it at wildlife.nh.gov

If you find an injured turtle that is still alive, please do the following:

Additional steps, like raising lawn mower blades to avoid hidden turtles and keeping dogs away from nesting areas, can also help reduce harm to turtles. By staying alert and taking simple actions, the community can play an important role in protecting Windham’s turtles.

In an attempt to raise awareness about the movement of turtles in Windham and beyond, Cadette Girl Scout Adelina Peterson (Troop 51466) decided to work on this topic for her Girl Scout Silver Award project. She received approval from Windham’s Board of Selectmen to install 19 “Make Way for Turtles” temporary yard signs on April 18, 2026, through May 17, 2026. Adelina also created a website dedicated to spreading awareness about turtle crossings, which you can visit here: sites.google.com/view/makewayforturtles/home.

On May 24, 2026, Adelina attended a Zoom call presentation by the New Hampshire Turtle Rescue, then traveled to Nottingham, New Hampshire, where she met with Drew Stevens, Director of NH Turtle Rescue, and Dallas Huggins, Assistant Director. She donated her turtle crossing yard signs to the organization so they could be placed in additional turtle crossing areas to help raise public awareness and protect local turtles.

NH Turtle Rescue is a nonprofit organization that helps injured and displaced turtles by providing medical care, rehabilitation, and conservation education. One important lesson that stayed with Adelina from the NH Turtle Rescue educational Zoom presentation was that even if a mother turtle is found deceased on the road, people should still contact NH Turtle Rescue. In some cases, the organization may be able to safely recover and incubate the eggs, giving the baby turtle a chance to survive.

Additionally, Adelina did a few informational sessions about turtles in May. On May 28, she met with 9 Windham Girl Scout Brownies from Troop 64066 at the Nesmith Library. She talked with them and their families about turtle movement and the dangers that turtles face from April through September. On May 30th, Adelina met with about 80 Pelham and Hudson Girl Scouts at their Camporee event and gave 4 separate presentations on this topic. She is also hoping to do more events in Windham and Pelham this summer. At her events, people can see her educational poster, see pictures of various types of turtles in NH, make turtle bracelets, get a turtle tattoo, get a bookmark with a QR code linking to her website, and listen to her read Yertle the Turtle.

Adelina invites you to join her mission to care about turtles and look out for their safety. If you would like to become more involved in this mission, please contact the New Hampshire Turtle Rescue, which is seeking volunteers and donations.