Western Painted Turtle - Osoyoos, BC
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 05.431 W 119° 32.040
11U E 315001 N 5440611
Though we are quite aware that turtles are locally abundant in the southern Okanagan Valley, actually spotting one crossing a road has turned out to be a rare event.
Waymark Code: WM14XMY
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 09/07/2021
Views: 18
While motoring down Road 22 a few kliks north of Osoyoos I noticed a small pond to the right of the road. While gazing at the lovely little pond (actually an "Oxbow", a remnant of the original course of the Okanagan River before it was "Channelized" many decades ago.) I nearly ran over a "bump in the road". "OMIGOD!! That's a turtle", slowly and labouriously making its way to the other side. Why did the turtle (try to) cross the road? In any event, he didn't.
Realizing there was a little painted turtle in the middle of my lane, I pulled over and stopped as soon as I could, which was about 100 metres away. Grabbing my camera, I exited the vehicle and jogged back to the turtle which, fortuitously, was just where I'd seen him.
Soooo ... I picked the li'l guy up and placed him on the other side of a row of concrete barriers, and pointed him toward the pond. Being in such a hurry to go back and rescue the guy, I forgot to get coordinates at his location. Several minutes later, when I returned to take coordinates, he was nowhere to be seen - likely cooling off in the pond - it was pretty hot that day.
This fella is a Western Painted Turtle, a species known to be endangered in The Okanagan Valley.
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