Drivers branded 'grubs' over 'extremely common' act on Aussie roads
It's estimated more than 10 million animals are killed on Aussie roads every year, and a rescuer has urged drivers to always stop and help wandering wildlife.
A frustrated man has hit out at drivers over an increasingly common act on Aussies roads, one that's especially prominent in rural and more remote areas across the country.
Josh Newbert, a wildlife volunteer and licensed snake catcher, was travelling along a highway on Sydney's northwest outskirts on Thursday when he saw "eight cars drive over the top of a turtle" which was attempting to cross the road. He said none of them bothered to stop and he urged Aussies to "do better".
Speaking with Yahoo News Australia on Monday, Newbert said he was driving in the opposite direction in the suburb of Glossodia when he spotted the helpless turtle. It's common for the reptiles to be spotted walking across the road as they cross between water sources on farms, but sadly that means they're often at risk of being killed.
Sadly, there are an estimated 10 million animal deaths on our roads each year.
"Turtles and wildlife crossing our roads are extremely common not only in rural and semi-rural areas but also in built-up suburbs," the wildlife volunteer explained to Yahoo. "I see this thing all too often. Not always with a good outcome".
He said "there is no doubt" passing drivers would have seen the turtle, which he said was "big". "I spotted it from such a distance away," he added, calling them "grubs".
After watching the scene play out, Newbert, who shares content as Newsbies Wildlife on Youtube and Facebook, "did a U-turn and managed to get the animal off the road before any other cars came past". Miraculously, it was unharmed.
"Thankfully the turtle was in the middle of the lane rather than in the road of the tyres," he explained, implying it could have been a much worse outcome.
"I was able to find him a dam across the road a little further down where I put him," he added but fears it will likely end up back on the road.
Drivers urged to 'do their bit' to help save wildlife
Newbert, and other wildlife rescuers like him, encourage drivers to "do their bit" and always stop if they see any wildlife on the road.
"If you ever spot a turtle on the road you should pick it up and place it on the opposite side it is facing to continue on its journey to a mate, a new dam or an egg-laying site," he explained. They can also call a wildlife rescuer who can help assess it for injuries
"It takes one minute out of your day to save an animal's life. Do better people," he blasted on social media after witnessing the scenes on Thursday. Many of his followers agreed "more people should do this".
"Turtles and blue-tongue lizards are lost way too much to roads," one noted. "Absolutely maddening that people have no common decency... animals are so innocent and should be protected," another said.
Others shared their own experiences with helping uninjured animals off the roads and encouraging more people to do the same.
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