A number of flights at New York’s Kennedy Airport were briefly delayed after turtles migrated across the runway.
It’s nesting season in the nearby marshes where the Diamondback terrapins live, and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said around 40 ended up crawling onto the airfield on Friday.
Authority spokeswoman Cheryl Albiez told the Daily News that some planes “were briefly stuck in queue” while the turtles were being rounded up.
We’ve been on the tarmac for two hours… https://t.co/TTB26GuHuC
— Kevin Zambrano (@kvnzmbno) July 8, 2017
The turtles’ annual migration takes place from June to mid-July.
Port Authority wildlife specialists collect the animals that wander too close to the runway and release them to safer areas.
It certainly seemed to amuse Twitter that flights were delayed by cute little animals instead of equipment malfunctions or something similar.
Apparently there are TURTLES on the runway at JFK causing our delay to deplane ??
— sarah mcc (@unsarah) July 7, 2017
Currently stuck on the JFK tarmac for the only acceptable reason a pilot has ever announced. https://t.co/nOONzAEeFU
— Kibblesmith ⚔️ (@kibblesmith) July 7, 2017
— Patrick Strait (@prs71) July 8, 2017
But apparently, turtles turning up on the runway isn’t actually that uncommon…hence why there are Port Authority wildlife specialists at the ready.
Heh, showed this pal who works with Port Authority airports and he said it happens so often that JFK has staff dedicated to turtle removal.? https://t.co/zDc1jf5Gdh
— Gaurav Sabnis (@gauravsabnis) July 7, 2017
YES it happens every year
— NFNicole (@Not_Interesting) July 7, 2017
I’m impressed there’s an operation in place to help the turtles.
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) July 7, 2017
