Officials warn motorists to watch out for turtles on roads

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) - Forest preserve officials are asking drivers to keep an eye out for turtles on area roadways.

The Daily Herald reports (http://bit.ly/20TE4Eg ) it's nesting season, when turtles leave their watery homes to lay eggs in higher, drier spots. That means more turtles are crossing roads and in danger of being smashed by vehicles.

Dan Thompson is an ecologist with the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. He says, "Turtles focus on one thing this time of year: getting to their nesting sites, roads or no roads."

Turtles have primitive hearing so they don't know to avoid roadways.

In some McHenry County locations, officials installed turtle crossing signs.

John McCabe of the Cook County Forest Preserve District says "if you see something that looks like a bump in the road, slow down."

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Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com