Maine
Maine’s first turtle tunnel is working
In 2021, the Maine Department of Transportation partnered with federal and state wildlife agencies to install a wide culvert designed to help turtles, including the endangered Blanding’s turtle, safely cross a notoriously deadly section of State Route 236 in Eliot.
In the years since, tens of thousands of people have driven over this wildlife crossing, most of them unaware it is even there. And dozens of species, both shelled and non-shelled, have taken advantage of the underpass.
During a presentation Tuesday, biologists at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reported that the turtle tunnel — the first of its kind in Maine — is working.
“There’s been a substantial reduction in turtle mortalities,” Greg LeClair, a municipal planning biologist at the state agency, told a small crowd gathered at the Eliot Town Office. “Follow-up surveys have shown much fewer turtles being crushed on that section of road.”
Last summer, the Maine Department of Transportation deployed special game cameras equipped with a light beam that can detect the movement of small, slow-moving critters. Shortly after 9 a.m. on June 27, the camera trap snapped a photo of a Blanding’s turtle lumbering through the tunnel, safe from buzzing traffic along what one former state biologist called “a highway of death” for shelled reptiles.
The 8-foot-wide, 6-foot-tall culvert connects wetlands on both sides of the busy state highway, including a nearly 100-acre section of conservation land managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust.
The wildlife underpass and roadside fencing, meant to steer wildlife toward the tunnel, cost approximately $400,000 to install, with Maine DOT contributing a large chunk of the funds to mitigate wetland disturbance from construction of the high-speed toll plaza on the Maine Turnpike in York.
While the Eliot tunnel was designed with Blanding’s turtles in mind, Maine DOT has documented a slew of other creatures passing through, according to Justin Sweitzer, the agency’s environmental coordinator for southern Maine. Over a period of nearly five months, the cameras snapped more than 270 photos of wildlife in the tunnel, ranging from snapping turtles and salamanders to muskrats and mink.
Not one Blanding’s turtle has been found dead on the road since the crossing was installed, according to the department. A small number of snapping turtles and painted turtles have been killed.
Blanding’s turtles are rare in Maine, found only in York County and the southern part of Cumberland County. The state listed the species as threatened in 1986 and upgraded it to endangered in 1997. Habitat loss and road mortality are among the biggest threats to these reptiles.
Unlike some other turtle species, Blanding’s move around a lot in search of food, often traveling to six wetlands per year, according to Kevin Ryan, a reptile and amphibian biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
“The closeness of the roads and the houses and the wetlands down in southern Maine means that throughout the course of its life, a turtle is going to come into contact with human infrastructure quite a bit,” Ryan said at Tuesday’s event.
The life cycle of Blanding’s turtles makes recovery efforts particularly challenging. The yellow-throated reptiles can live to be over 70 years old, with females not reaching sexual maturity until 14 to 20 years of age and often taking decades to produce an offspring that ultimately reaches adulthood.
“Losing one or two turtles actually matters,” Ryan said. “They’re not like a game species, something like a deer, rabbit, turkey, something like that, where a significant portion of the population can get harvested from year to year and then have it bounce right back.”
Peter Egelston, chair of the Eliot Conservation Commission, told The Maine Monitor ahead of the event that there is a growing awareness in the community about the importance of preserving wildlife habitat. He noted that Eliot residents adopted an updated comprehensive plan in June that emphasizes natural resource protection and building new trails, among other things.
“Communities are dealing with what seems like on the surface competing interests,” Egelston said. “There is a huge demand for housing. And yet there is also a huge desire to preserve open space. It’s one of the things that I think has caused a lot of communities to put a different shape to their approach to housing and zoning and so on, because in some ways what we really want to do is have the best of both worlds.”
WARREN, Maine (WWTW) – Dog owners are being urged to take steps to protect their pets from a potentially deadly virus.
The Midcoast Animal Emergency Clinic in Warren said on Tuesday that it is seeing a significant increase in canine parvovirus cases throughout the Midcoast and Augusta areas. Clinic staff also said they have been told about possible contamination at Quarry Hill Dog Park in Portland. Our media partner WMTW has reached out to city officials to learn more about the reported contamination there and mitigation efforts.
A spokesperson for the City of Augusta said there had been no formal notification from the state indicating a confirmed outbreak in the area, but that they had heard, anecdotally, of local cases.
The Kennebec Valley Humane Society did temporarily close in November due to an outbreak of parvo.
As of Wednesday, the city was not implementing any closures or restrictions at local dog parks, but officials were developing educational materials to help inform residents about canine parvovirus, including prevention and symptoms to watch for. These resources will be shared on the city’s website, social media channels, and posted at local dog parks.
What is canine parvovirus?
Animal experts say canine parvovirus (CPV, or parvo) is one of the most serious viruses that dogs and puppies can get. It typically causes severe illness in young and unvaccinated dogs. Parvo is spread by contact with contaminated feces. The virus can also live on surfaces that have been contaminated.
Parvo primarily affects the body’s rapidly dividing cells, meaning the intestinal tract and bone marrow are the most affected.
There is no specific cure for parvovirus in dogs and puppies, but there are treatments and vaccination is highly effective at preventing the virus when administered as directed by veterinarians.
In September of 2025, several animals in Houlton tested positive for the virus.
At the time, WMTW reported there had been an increase in cases in Maine since late 2024.
In the fall of 2025, the Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic said dogs were being brought into their facility with the disease almost every week.
Puppies are most vulnerable to the virus, but older dogs that are unvaccinated and/or have compromised immune systems are also at risk.
If your dog is experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme lethargy, you are asked to quarantine them from other dogs immediately and seek veterinary attention.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
How far would you be willing to travel for delicious food or a unique experience? What about both?
There’s a restaurant in Lincoln, Maine, called Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express that you might want to consider visiting.
This small eatery specializes in express-style Japanese dining, boasting a 4.7/5 on Google, but it’s the visually mesmerizing and delicious super-sized sushi and appetizer platter boats that truly stand out.
Sushi Boat at Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express in Lincoln, Maine
Sure, Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express has a variety of foods to choose from when you’re feeling hungry, and there’s even some Chinese and Thai options as well.
But there’s something about ordering a meal that comes served up on a large wooden boat that sets the tone for a truly one-of-a-kind meal.
The Lincoln restaurant has that in both its sushi boat and Tokyo boat.
Let’s just say they are a feast for the eyes and mouth.
Looking at Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express’ menu highlights its sushi boat options, either for one or two, at $86 or $99, respectively. So go big or go home, right?
When Did Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express Open in Lincoln, Maine?
Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express is a relatively new venture, having opened in 2024 in Lincoln.
Right from its grand debut, the restaurant noted on its Facebook page that from “savory Hibachi and Teriyaki to Bento boxes and Sushi, every dish is crafted with fresh ingredients and mouthwatering flavors that will have you coming back for more.”
Not only was there a positive response from the outset, but that excitement for the restaurant has continued today, especially with the incredibly fun boat service loaded with food.
Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Express
Here’s just a few recent reviews:
“Great food, friendly service fair prices! Worth the 70 mile round trip! Will be seeing us again!”
“The portions are very generous, the food was very tasty and all ingredients were fresh and well prepared.”
“The man that was there running things and cooking was SO friendly and helpful and hospitable. He kept bringing things out for us to try and talked to us and treated us like family.”
READ MORE: Hit Up All 5 Maine Restaurants Featured on Guy Fieri’s ‘Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives’ for the Ultimate Road Trip
At the end of the day, you could order a normal plate of sushi, or you could go all in and get a super boat of it. Sounds like a drive to this hidden gem location for a special meal seems like an adventure worth setting sail for.
Hungry for some sushi?
40 Maine Restaurants That are Worth a Long Drive to Get to
Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine’s great restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries that are worth a long drive to get to.
These great spots can be found across the state and waiting for you to give them a try.
How many have you been to?
Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka
These Are 14 Must-Visit Hidden Gem Destinations in Maine
Gallery Credit: Megan
AUGUSTA, Maine (WGME) — The Maine Senate is advancing a “right to repair” electronics bill.
The legislation aims to lower repair costs and reduce electronic waste by forcing manufacturers to share parts and repair tools with the public.
The bill faces more votes in the house and senate.
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Ten states have already passed electronic “right to repair” laws.
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