This 20-kg turtle is off to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Seaforth, N.S. (CBC) A taxi driver in Dartmouth, N.S., is wondering why the turtle crossed the road.

Edward Hobson nearly hit something big in the middle of Skeena Street Friday morning.

He stopped suddenly and got out to investigate. The driver in the car behind him followed suit.

"We got close to him, and he took a snap, so we figured it was a snapping turtle," Hobson told CBC News.

"I never seen anything that big before," he said.

Kelly Griffin watched the scene unfold from her house across the street. Griffin and her father-in-law grabbed a box and rushed over.

"It was a little odd to see a turtle crossing the street," she said.

The 20-kilogram turtle didn't appear too happy to see them. It snapped at them, too.

"My father-in-law put some gloves on and kind of pushed him in with a stick," said Griffin.

The turtle escaped from the box. Griffin and her father-in-law managed to scoop it up and place it in a large garbage can until city workers arrived.

Animal services workers take the turtle out of its safe haven in the garbage can. (CBC)Two workers with the Halifax Regional Municipality's animal services department confirmed it was a snapping turtle, but they couldn't determine where it came from.

Hobson said the closest water source is a pond more than three blocks away.

"I don't know how it could survive around here," he said.

The turtle was taken to Hope for Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation facility in Seaforth.