What is the Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises? Frogs and Toads? Newts and Salamanders?
One of the questions I am asked most often during presentations and workshops is, “what is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?” Or for that matter, what is the difference between frogs and toads, and newts vs. salamanders? These questions are sort of like being asked what the difference is between sports and […]
Are Snapping Turtles Dangerous?
So you just found a Snapping Turtle by your home and want to know if it will be a problem for you, your kids, and your pets. You are not alone! Every spring and summer I receive several inquiries from people in my area asking if I can relocate a Snapping Turtle out of a […]
The Mystery of Vermont’s Box Turtles
Throughout much of the United States, Box Turtles are the turtle people are most familiar with. As a completely terrestrial species that can live in and around residential developments, people have a chance to see them throughout the entire warm season, not just in the spring when aquatic turtles venture onto land to lay eggs, […]
How to Help Turtles Cross Roads
So you’ve found a turtle on a road. Now what? This is a very common question, and it is no secret that roads pose major issues for all kinds of wildlife, turtles included. Turtles are slow on land, and when startled, tend to just hide in their shells rather than flee, so unlike a squirrel […]
Species Spotlight: Wood Frogs
All across North America, the sounds of frogs ring in the start of spring. Listen to a recording of an early spring chorus with several species and you may be able to figure out roughly where the recording was made as every region has its own unique spring mix of amphibian vocalists. In Vermont where […]