Turtle watch continues during June nesting season
Administrator | Jun 11, 2013 | Comments 3
Bruce Booth, of Cressy, shares these two photos, reporting that the rain has brought the turtles out onto his property. “Last year from June 1 to June 10 we had 13 snapping turtles come up on the property and counted seven nests,” he said, noting that this year, the turtles were later.
The Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan reminds everyone turtles are on the move to nesting sites. Turtles are most often seen in June when they are traveling to reach their nesting sites.
As herbivores, carnivores and scavengers turtles play an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Threats to Ontario’s turtles include: loss of wetland habitat, road mortalities, pollution and collection for the pet trade and for food. Turtle populations cannot sustain these threats.
If you must move a small turtle away from a road, pick if up firmly by gripping both sides of the shell. If moving a snapping turtle, use a shovel or a board to push them out of danger. Lift at the back of the shell. Visit here for more http://www.torontozoo.ca/AdoptAPond/
Seven of eight turtle species in Ontario are on the Species at Risk list but YOU can help. The Toronto Zoo has a Turtle Tally program that is designed to:
1. Increase understanding of turtle distribution and ranges
2. Collect information on turtle species and locations, which is useful to identify areas of concern and threats to turtles
3. Learn more about the threats facing turtles in Ontario and around the world. Remember, crossing the road is, generally, a deadly endeavour for turtles. Watch for them and help them cross in the direction they were going, if it is safe to do so.
For information: http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/turtleconservation.asp
If you find a turtle that has been injured on the road, you can help by calling The Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre. Always be sure of your own safety before stopping to help an injured animal. Carefully place the injured turtle in a well-ventilated plastic container. Call KTTC at (705)741-5000 for the most current list of drop off locations. You must take the turtle to a drop-off location as soon as possible. For info: http://www.kawarthaturtle.org
Visit Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan
Healthy Bay • Healthy Community
Filed Under: Featured Articles
June 12, 2013
Saw a female snapping turtle laying her eggs along the Credit River yesterday! Have seen two other snapping turtles along the same river, but don’t know if they were nesting.
The erection of Turtle Crossing signs is preaching to the converted. Turtles do not dart into traffic and normal people steer out for them when seen on the road, even stopping to remove them. Turtles that are squashed have been hit deliberately, and it is sad and no amount of signage will change the mentality of those motorists. There are a lot of sick people out there. West Lake residents this week were mortified to learn that raccoons there were being poisoned with antifreeze. Death by antifreeze is a slow and hideously painful way to die. Yet the ones responsible care not a whit. And so it often is with turtles.
There are areas where turtles crossing the road are common at laying time; I have seen “turtle crossing” signs, and wonder why the County does not put up a few. There is one between Carrying Place and Trenton. Turtles like to have their nests in the gravel shoulders at roadsides. Often they like the nest on the far side of the road, so not only do they cross the road twice, all the hatchlings must also cross. I passed a split-apart road killed turtle today, on the highway coming out of Bloomfoeld towards Sandbsnks. Quite sickening.