A pair of turtles were rescued earlier this week by staff members at the FishHawk Recreation Center.
The adventure began shortly after 2 p.m. Monday when a local resident came into the center to report that a large turtle was lumbering through the parking lot.
Fearing that the turtle could get run over, three staff members went outside to investigate, joking that it wasn’t in their job description.
“Sure enough, the turtle was in the front lane of the parking lot in front of the pool area,” said recreation assistant Bob Fierle. “Maybe it wanted to swim in the pool.”
Fierle, who has limited prior experience with turtles, carried the critter across the street to the Tarpon Boil golf course, where a pond is nearby.
“We left the turtle several feet from the street with a pond in sight, but we didn’t want to disturb the golfers,” he said.
After recreation assistant Terri Green left for the day, she called the center to say the turtle had turned around and was heading across Buttonwood Run toward the Bonita Pass golf course, putting it in danger again.
Since Fierle was busy with another chore, recreation manager Emily Andrews went outside and found the turtle in the golf cart path. She took it across the street near a large pond on the first hole.
“On walking back to FishHawk, Emily found a second turtle on the opposite golf cart path,” Fierle said. “She took that turtle and placed it next to the first turtle. Last report they were headed together to the big pond.”
Fierle’s prior experience with turtles came a couple years ago when his golf drive hit one crossing the eighth green on the Truman golf course. When the ball hit the turtle’s shell, the animal paused briefly, then slowly continued on its way.
