Ingenuous Tunnel Saves Turtles and Trains in Japan

Just like drinking and driving don’t mix, trains and turtles don’t either. The shelled critters have caused 13 disruptions in the normally efficient transportation system in the cities of Kyoto and Nara between 2002 and 2014. The slow-moving reptiles get stuck between the railway switches while trying to cross the tracks and end up getting crushed by oncoming trains. A collaboration between West Japan Railway Company and the Suma Aqualife Park resulted in a clever and promising solution to help turtles cross safely by adding U-shaped pathways below the existing tracks to serve as a way to help prevent more turtle casualties. So far, 10 turtles have been saved by the ingenious system.