A snapping turtle chose the outskirts of the Meadow Mall parking lot as the perfect place to lay its eggs over Memorial Day weekend.

Spectators gathered to watch it dig an 8-inch hole in the sandy bank between the parking lot and a drainage ditch. She laid approximately 40 eggs before burying them, lumbering back to the drainage ditch, and swimming away.

Currently, there is nothing marking the turtle's nesting spot in the Meadow Mall to protect it from the heavy wheels of cars.

Biologists with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested a barrier that marks off the area but still allows for the baby turtles to make a quick getaway to the nearby drainage ditch when they hatch as ideal. Construction markers were suggested.

Until recently, it was legal to commercially harvest and eat snapping turtles. However, no permits are currently being issued for the commercial consumption of snapping turtles. The resulting increase is population has led to an increase in interactions between snapping turtles and humans, especially during the late spring and early summer when the females venture out of their usual habitat in search of places to lay their eggs.

"The turtles are quiet and docile if not provoked, and can largely be avoided by careful drivers. If there is a safe way to move a turtle out of the road, without putting yourself in danger of getting bitten, it is recommended," biologist Keel Kemper said. "We recommend you pick them up and take them to the side of the road they were going. You can do this by picking them up by the tail, or scooting them along, or using a tool like a shovel to move them. You have to be hesitant – I'm not recommending you do it, unless you can do it safely."

Unfortunately, turtles have a preference for sandy, warm, well-drained banks – such as a roadside or next to a parking lot – which increases the danger of them being hit by cars.

"Some will lay eggs right next to the water in a sandy area. But there's some that travel long distances," biologist Jonathan Mays said. "They are looking for a place with sunlight that drains well so the eggs don't become saturated in water. Roads and parking lots are designed to drain water."

Snapping turtles are native to Maine and have their place in its intricate ecosystem. "Should we not value these critters just because they're not pretty? No, we probably should," Kemper said.