Photo supplied.
This was one of more than 30 snapping turtle hatchlings from a single nest along a township road headed to a creek last month.
A few weeks ago, a Cavan resident advised that there were snapping turtle hatchlings on the road near a creek by her home. She reported having rescued more than 100 of the endangered creatures. There were more to come – many more, as I would discover.
Photo supplied.
Emerging snapping turtle.
Our Ontario turtles are semi-aquatic; while they spend a lot of time in the water, they also travel on land. They will be on the move any time from April to October, although the busiest time for them is May and June. In the summer, they are often seen crossing roads in search of mates, food and nest sites. These journeys are dangerous as they are too slow to avoid an oncoming vehicle.
Photo supplied.
Emerging turtle on the run.
During September and early October, hatchlings are emerging from their nests and travelling (hopefully) towards the closest source of water, where they spend most of their lives. They prefer shallow, slow-moving water, where they hide under the soft mud and leaf litter, with only their noses poking through the surface so they can breathe. Adults can grow to be 16 kilos, but despite their size, they can inhabit surprisingly small ponds, wetlands and ditches.
Females do not begin to breed until they are at least 17 years old, and the creatures can live to 100 years or more. They seek spots with loose soil near water in which to dig a nest and deposit their eggs. They like gravel, so they often choose the shoulder of a road, an embankment or a shoreline. A single “clutch” can contain up to 50 eggs, which are two to three centimetres long. The temperature of the eggs determines the gender of the hatchlings.
They might lay a lot of eggs, but less than 1% of the eggs survive. They are a popular food for raccoons, skunks, mink and opossums. Despite the fact that adult turtles are unsafe for human consumption, human-related threats pose the biggest risk to snapping turtles. In 2008, they were listed as a species of “special concern”, and in 2017 it became illegal to hunt them in Ontario.
Nest protection programs are underway across the province to increase the survival rates of eggs and hatchlings, but it is illegal to interfere in any way with a natural nest except if it is done on private property by the owner.
If you see one of these creatures on the road or in a dangerous situation, you should not pick it up by the tail, as that can injure the bones of the tail and back. Placing them in a box or container with a broom or shovel is the best way to move them to safety. They should never be transported to new location, even when the habitat where they are headed seems less than ideal.
The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre is located in Peterborough, with a mission to protect and conserve native turtles and their habitat. They operate a turtle hospital that treats, rehabilitates and releases injured turtles and conducts extensive research to promote conservation as well as offering education and outreach programs. To learn more, visit www.ontarioturtle.ca. KG
