June is 'Adopt-a-Pond' month

Nipissing Forest Local Citizens Committee
News Release

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The Nipissing Forest Local Citizens Committee (LCC) is declaring June “Adopt-a-Pond” month in order to raise awareness about the turtle population and mortality rates in our area.

This is in support of the Toronto Zoo’s Turtle Tally and Adopt-a-Pond programs.

The LCC is responding to an issue recently published in the Toronto Star and North Bay Nugget.

Snapping turtles are the only species of special concern in Ontario to be legally hunted and are at risk for a number of reasons.

Currently, a change to hunting regulations to monitor statistics of snapping turtle being taken by hunters and fishers is being proposed. The proposed changes are described on the Environmental Registry website.

The deadline for comments is May 10, 2012.

All Ontario turtles, with the exception of the Painted Turtle, are considered species at risk to some degree and may be listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.

The Blanding’s Turtle is on the endangered species list.

The Snapping Turtle is a species of “special concern”, as the number of snappers is unknown but threatened from a variety of human impacts.

In addition to loss of wetlands, habitat degradation and illegal harvest, road mortality is one of the biggest threats facing Ontario’s turtles. During the spring and summer, turtles are most at risk of being killed on roadways.

This is especially true for females in May, June, and July as they wander away from water in search of nesting sites and attempt to nest on gravel roads or on the shoulders of paved roads.

Ontario’s Snapping turtles live a long time – up to 100 years! Some don’t start to lay eggs until they are 20 or more years old and they may continue to lay eggs for another 60 years! But very few, if any, hatch and survive.

Therefore, if a female adult turtle is killed on the road, it takes a long time to replace her. Surviving turtles can’t lay extra eggs to make up for the adults that have been killed.

Once a population starts to decline, it is difficult to reverse the trend.

What can drivers do?

It's important to watch the road carefully when you're driving, especially where the roads are close to wetlands and rivers. Remember that turtles don't move very quickly and the first response to danger for most turtle species is to pull into their shells. Snapping turtles cannot do that as their body is much larger than their carapace or shell and they feel very threatened when away from their usual wetland habitat.

Turtles don't understand the danger associated with vehicles, but drivers can act responsibly and avoid hitting them.

If it’s safe for you to do so, you can help by moving a turtle off the road in the direction it was heading.

The Nipissing Forest Local Citizens Committee is a volunteer group that advises the Ministry of Natural Resources on forestry and related issues.

To participate in the Turtle Tally and Adopt-a-Pond programs, please follow this link http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/TurtleTally.asp. For identification of turtles, see http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/turtles.asp.

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