Last June I saw a turtle trying to cross Bridge Street in Picton, and I thought I knew what to do.

I stopped to rescue it — but in the time it took me to pull over and run back, it was run over.

I gave up, in despair at such a careless driver.

Had I known then what I know now, I’d have called the turtle rescue hotline. No, I did not know such a thing existed. Had I known, there is a chance the turtle, or at least her eggs, could have been saved.

My ignorance was another kind of carelessness.

I seek to right that wrong now by sharing with you that there’s lots we can do for turtles during this, their busiest mating and nesting season.

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) offers trauma and rehabilitation services for Ontario’s native turtle species. They’re licensed and operate free of charge. A fleet of volunteers will taxi turtles to their centre in Peterborough.

Turtles can survive traumatic injuries other species would not. They are reptiles, so cold-blooded and sensitive to temperature. They can also slow their metabolism to survive. That means an injured turtle can appear to be dead, but may well be alive. Coming across an injured turtle is an occasion to call for help.

June is for nesting — and so it is peak turtle-crossing time.

Turtles are tough,
self sufficient, and know where they are going.
There is much to admire in their steadfast resilience.
But they are also vulnerable when on land.

On average there is a road every 1.5 km in Southern Ontario, so our turtle friends will have to cross one. Keep a look out for turtles on the move anytime between April and November.

Ontario’s eight native turtles are all Species at Risk, protected by both Ontario’s and Canada’s endangered species acts. This makes it illegal to harm, harass or capture them.They can have long natural lives of 30-40 years, and some live 100 years or more.

Turtles have large home ranges, from 2 to 20 km depending on species, and have adapted to find what they need to survive in that range. Never relocate a turtle. If a turtle is distressed and must be moved for rescue, note down the closest intersection or landmark so you can return it.

It is only appropriate to pick up a turtle if it is trying to cross a road. If you come across a turtle on the road, don’t do what I did when I encountered a turtle on Hwy 10, north of Caledon Village one summer. It was crossing five lanes of traffic and I carefully put it back on the side it came from, figuring that was safer.

Turtles travel many kilometres every year to reach their traditional mating and nesting grounds. They use the earth’s magnetic field as a geo-locator. Putting them back only sets them back —and puts them at greater risk when they try to cross again.

Help them get to the side of the road they are headed toward.

Turtles are born on land. From May to June, female turtles in Ontario will dig a nest in loose soil with good sun exposure, like shorelines and road shoulders, to lay a clutch of eggs, 3 – 45 depending on species. Baby turtles hatch between mid-August and September, and have a 1 percent survival rate.

A turtle must nest for several years to have a chance at replacing itself. It’s very important not to disturb a female when nesting.

If you find an injured or recently deceased turtle
or disturbed turtle eggs,
call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre’s
hotline at 705-741-5000

We can also do our part every day: keep waters clean; slow automobiles and boats down when close to shore or wetlands; let marshes and shorelines run wild; report turtle sitings on the iNaturalist app or other platforms; raise awareness, donate to and volunteer for turtle conservation efforts; protect a turtle nest.

Ontarioturtle.ca, Thinkturtle.ca, and Parkscanada.ca all offer detailed instructions on the variety of safe ways you can help a turtle cross a road. They offer Turtle Handling Factsheets and Road Rescue Kits to keep in your car. Help a turtle today, just by knowing what to do on the chance you come across one of these quiet local heroes.

Alice Dixon

Special to the Gazette

Turtle Crossing

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