You may not be aware that there are some turtles that will live in cold climates, such as those in Lake Judy. They do not need to be relocated because they are able to handle the cold waters, but they do so by not moving during the winter season. Instead, they remain under ice in the lake or around the lake. It is similar to hibernating, though reptiles are cold blooded.
When they move it can be dangerous, as it uses energy they need. Moving 150 yards in one week going across half the lake is quite astonishing. Biologists are not certain what has caused one turtle to take such a trek this winter. In the past they have noticed that some of the turtles will move, but most tend to hunker down in one spot. They have slow digestion so it is not a problem to be trapped under ice for the winter. The water is not completely ice; it is usually just the top layer of the lake. There is also no current in Lake Judy, so why the turtles move is unknown to the biologists. They study these turtles without relocating them in order to find out why some may move and others will not. As of yet the decision as to why has not been made. It may never be a solved mystery as to why some turtles will move, though it is thought they do so to find a mate.
Lance Grooms
