Am I Responsible?

Last week as I was riding home on my bike I spotted a good size snapping turtle coming out of a swamp and would eventually cross the road. I took notice and rode on.

About a half mile down the road I saw a man out for his morning walk and I mentioned the turtle as a point of interest in nature. He smiled a very big smile and said something that sounded like he was very happy to hear that.

Today I rode past the same spot and I saw the smashed shell of a turtle in the grass where I had seen the live snapper. Just the shell, no flesh.

Did that man kill the turtle and take the flesh home for soup? There are people who do that. I felt so bad…to think that I might have been responsible because I mentioned it to that man.

He probably would have seen it anyway, but next time…if similar circumstances present themselves…I’ll keep my mouth shut.