Somebody save the wee turtles!
Posted on 03/20/2006 9:37:11 AM PST by Rakkasan1
AP) Minneapolis A rare turtle is getting a lot of attention during the planning of the Northstar commuter train, which would run north from Minneapolis to Big Lake in central Minnesota.
An environmental review of the route has found that it runs through areas that are home to the Blanding's turtle, which is a threatened species in Minnesota. The turtles have long necks with bright yellow throats and high-domed shells.
The turtles need both wetlands and drier sandy land nearby, and that sort of habitat is along the route from Fridley to Big Lake on both sides of the existing railroad tracks, which would be upgraded for use by passenger trains.
"It spends most of its life in wetlands, and sandy uplands is where it nests," said Rich Baker, staff zoologist for the state Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program. "Sandy uplands is a kind of land that is very prone to development and increasingly scarce in the state."
(Excerpt) Read more at wcco.com ...
Workers will be required to put up barriers and pick up the turtles and move them out of harm's way if they are found in the area...
Back in the drought of 76 we used to load them up in empty spike kegs and run them by motorcar up to other spots that werent dried up trying to keep them out of our way.
Some of us used to do that.. other fellers had other uses for pesky critters...
MNPingie
Better yet, let's cancel the Northstar to save the turtles.
...part of Bush's WOT (war on turtles)
Who would want to take a train to Big Lake ? Duluth, maybe...
The people in Big Lake will take the train to get out.
No round trip tickets to Big Lake, then ?
Nother "Legacy" project. These idiot Politicians are so stupid they actually think people will care or even remember after they are gone who build the junk.
-Better yet, let's cancel the Northstar to save the turtles.-
The lefty whackos (as opposed to the just plain left of MN republicans) have too much invested in the future junk heap train to care about the widdle turtles. The turtles can get their own ride, they figure.
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