The most prehistoric-looking of all of Ontario’s native species, the snapping turtle has triangular spikes along its tail. Photo by: Miles Away Photography Species: Painted turtle Scientific name: Chrysemys picta Status: common Description: In Ontario there are two subspecies of painted turtles. With an upper shell that is brown with black flecking and a yellowish lower shell, these guys are easily confused with painted turtles, snapping turtles, and Blanding’s turtles. These are the only non-threatened turtle species in Ontario, but they are still susceptible to the threats that face other turtles. The snapping turtle lays around 50. It can cause mass die-offs of mollusks, one of their primary food sources. By snapping a shot, you add to the map’s accuracy and ultimately to conservation efforts. However, it’s most clearly identifiable from the yellow spots marking its shell. Over the past 30 to 40 years, 104 populations have been noted in Ontario. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Types of Turtles. It apparently existed here until the 1500s but it is thought that sightings in the 20th century likely come from released pets. The northern map turtle is not designated at risk provincially in Ontario. Ontario: Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (705) 741-5000; Atlantic Canada: Atlantic Wildlife Institute (506) 364-1902; Learn More. Usually the males are the first out and about – on their way to find mates, to find their ‘hangout’ spots for the spring and their favorite wetlands. Not the strongest of swimmers, these aquatic turtles are usually observed walking on the bottom of small ponds and rivers or crossing roads. The Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas provided us with a GIS shapefile of all Blanding’s Turtle observations records partitioned into 1x1 km grid squares. A long hot summer means that more of the young turtles will develop as females. No other species native to Ontario claims these colours. As is the case for many species at risk, habitat destruction has played a major role in the decline of turtles. It has widest distribution in Canada. While males have dark eyes and a dark chin, females of this species have orange eyes and a yellow chin. Eight turtles are also on Ontario’s list of species at risk. Many of the marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens that turtles once called home have been drained, filled, or otherwise altered. This, combined with the fact that few young turtles live to adulthood—only seven of every 10,000 snapping turtle eggs—means that species are being driven toward endangerment. Species of Special Concern-species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics or identifiable threats. In addition, our hatchling program augments this by returning babies hatched from the hospital patients, back to their mother’s wetland. If purchasing a turtle as a pet, ask the store where it comes from and how it … “Turtles help to control aquatic vegetation and help to clean our creeks and wetlands by eating algae and dead and decaying fish and other organisms,” said Hope Brock, Healthy Watersheds Technician with Ausable Bayfield Conservation. Fun fact: This turtle is no dunce. Ontario’s freshwater turtle species play an active role in our ecosystem. The turtle can live in the wild for more than 75 years. Turtles are ectothermic – or ‘cold-blooded’, which means that they cannot generate their own body heat, and rely on the environmental temperature for this; they warm themselves by basking in the sun. Most likely to be confused with musk turtles, snapping turtles are significantly larger and grow up to 47 cm long. Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre Covid-19 Statement During the Covid-19 pandemic, our turtle hospital remains fully operational, with added safety measures in place. The Spotted Turtle occurs only in eastern North America. With a highly sculpted upper shell, Ontario Nature calls this species “one of Ontario’s most attractive turtles.” The neck, chin and and front legs are a vivid orange-yellow colour. Snapping turtles are the largest species of turtle in Ontario, take nearly 20 years to reach maturity, and can live to be more than 70 years old. This is due to habitat loss, road mortality and even poaching for the pet trade. Ten different turtle species live in Ontario, and six of them are at risk of disappearing from the province! Southern Ontario is THE place for turtles in Canada, with the greatest diversity of Canadian turtles living here. Females are often found crossing roads to reach traditional nesting sites or laying eggs in the gravel along roads. In my job, I’m lucky to get up close and personal with Ontario’s smiling turtle, nicknamed for the shape of its face, which gives it a joyful expression. Fun fact: With the ability to get nearly half the oxygen they require by breathing through their skin in the water, they’re able to stay submerged for up to five hours. Turtle Species in Canada. The Blanding's turtle is one of seven of Ontario's turtles that is considered a species at risk. The Land Between charity and Scales Nature Park are the backbone of this collaborative effort with our amazing partners . Seven of the eight species of turtle in Ontario have been designated as “species at risk”. Turtles are on the move as soon as the weather starts to warm up in the spring. You’re most likely to spot turtles in marshy areas where there is native aquatic plant life. The spotted turtle features orange-yellow markings on its limbs, neck, and legs. Learn more about the 8 species of turtle that live in Ontario by exploring the species linked below – designations shown are federal listings for each species. Some species are very particular about where they live. The wood turtle thrives in Ontario, Quebec, and Brunswick. The wood turtle is currently listed as threatened under the National Species at Risk Act, which means that without intervention the species could soon become endangered. Most species live at least 30-40 years and some species can live to over 100 years! While these populations are concentrated around Georgian Ba… Its feet are fully webbed, allowing it to maneuver quickly in water. With a highly sculpted upper shell, Ontario Nature calls this species “one of Ontario’s most attractive turtles.”. Our field work adds to knowledge of turtle populations and also of the merits of ‘headstarting’ as a conservation strategy. The Midland painted turtle is found in southern and eastern Ontario. Our education program addresses all threats, and teaches the public how to become stewards to help in the conservation of these vital members of our wetlands. What You Can Do. Learn More. The species hibernates at the bottom of the water, lives around water during spring and fall, and on land during summers. He also recommends taking a picture of the turtle with your phone and uploading it to Ontario Nature’s Reptiles and Amphibians Atlas, which features the most up-to-date maps of turtle species across Ontario. In China, turtles large and small are used for both food and medicine.By the early 1990s, many local populations of turtles had disappeared within the country, so turtles began to be imported from around the world. It’s also called “stinkpot.”, 3. What You Can Do. Since a species can have a population that is healthy in one province but not another, the status can be different provincially vs federally. On the other hand, females are most frequently observed in June, during the height of their nesting season. Turtle Pond Wildlife Centre is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation centre located in Val Caron, Ontario. Like their name implies, these turtles are likely to be found in woodlands or floodplains during the summer months. All ectotherms have a unique “preferred optimal temperature zone” that is essential for all their physiological mechanisms (moving, eating, mating- even their immune system depends on this temperature range!). Endangered – species that face imminent extirpation or extinction (extirpation means that the species no longer exists in Canada but does exist elsewhere). Note: the Eastern Box Turtle is considered extirpated in Canada. Fun fact: This turtle is named for the odor it emits when it’s threatened, which—you guessed it—is strong and musky. -species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics or identifiable threats. Summary of Research/Monitoring The Ontario Multi-species Turtle at Risk Recovery Team is assessing the threats to numerous turtle species in Ontario. Turtles need a minimum 30-gallon size aquarium with a screened top. Many of the marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens that turtles once called … Species at risk are classified into 4 categories, based on the degree of risk they face, and these species are protected by federal and provincial laws. En savoir plus sur les navigateurs que nous supportons. They’re considered extremely intelligent and have been documented using creative methods to get their food, including stamping their feet to cause earthworms to come to the surface. Their habitat should include mostly water, plus a bit of land for basking. As the name implies, the softshell turtle has a soft, leathery shell. But that’s in danger of changing—of the eight species, seven are at risk. Only one species can be found from coast to coast, the Painted Turtle. see figure below,  which shows the admission numbers to OTCC, of Blanding’s (top), snapping turtles (middle) and painted turtles (bottom). All eight of of the species of turtle in Ontario have been designated as “species at risk”. “If you can save one turtle by moving it off the road, that makes a big difference to the overall conservation of the species.”. The life history of the snapping turtle, however, like that of most of Ontario’s turtle species, is characterized by a late age of maturity and a slow reproduction rate, and adults normally live a very long time in the wild – up to 70 years for many individuals. African Aquatic Sideneck The spiny softshell turtle is the latest species, native to Ontario, to be designated endangered because of decreasing population. Protect Canada’s waterways and habitats that the Blanding’s Turtle calls home. Conservation Concerns • Vulnerable to shoreline development, which destroys nesting habitat, and to water pollution due to the turtle… They also feature a yellow spot behind their eyes. Cottagelife.com is part of the Blue Ant Media Canada network © 2020 Blue Ant Media. Our Education Centre is currently closed to visitors, however we are allowing one person at a time into the Gift Shop area, with Our hospital helps to reverse some of the effects of road mortality, by returning turtles to the wild that would have been lost on the roads. Ectotherms cannot survive in very cold climates, and so are not found in the far north, and must hibernate in the winter in the south. You may withdraw your consent at any time. But it can take decades of nesting for just one egg to survive to replace the turtle that laid it. Note: the Eastern Box Turtle is considered extirpated in Canada. They’re also likely to be seen on the move; Blanding’s make the largest overland movement of any Ontario turtle to move from their summer nesting spots to overwintering habitat. – species that face imminent extirpation or extinction (extirpation means that the species no longer exists in Canada but does exist elsewhere). En savoir plus sur les navigateurs que nous supportons. Populations are located in southern Ontario and in the United States along the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Maine to central Florida, and westward from the south shores of the Great Lakes to northeastern Illinois. Like their name implies, these turtles are likely to be found in woodlands or floodplains during the summer months. Once the female has finished laying her eggs she never sees them again. Named for its markings, this turtle has contour lines on its upper shell that look like a topographical map. Less than 1 in a hundred turtle eggs laid will hatch and grow into an adult turtle. Once much more common, the province’s smallest turtle, which carries a shell that’s less than 13 centimetres long, is … “[Spring is] an important time to watch for turtles,” says Urquhart. Read What Do I Feed My New Turtle or Tortoise? Roads have been built through several of the remaining wetlands, and as a result road mortality is now a major threat to turtles, second only to habitat loss, Other threats include illegal collection for food or the pet trade, boating mortality, and fishing bycatch. The centre specializes in the care of native Ontario turtles. The species has also been observed in Québec, but no population is known to be established in that province. If you spot a turtle eating on land, it might be a Blanding—most aquatic turtles feed exclusively in the water. Ontario is a vast province, rich in biodiversity. Les navigateurs désuets ne disposent pas de caractéristiques sécuritaires permettant d’assurer la sécurité de vos renseignements. Easily spotted on the move, painted turtles will move over large areas overland in search of nesting sites. Fun fact: Most Ontario turtles only lay somewhere between three and 15 eggs. They can be found in a variety of habitats such as lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and bogs. “What humans have done through contributing to habitat loss, hunting, and poaching, is target adult turtles. In Ontario there are many education and outreach programs, but no formal action plan for species protection and recovery exists. We … Turtles are very slow to mature, so often it can be 15-20 years before they even reach maturity! Ontario boasts eight turtle species, which is more than any other province in Canada. Learn about the nine freshwater turtles in Canada, as well as the leatherback seaturtle. As is the case for many species at risk, habitat destruction has played a major role in the decline of turtles. All eight of of the species of turtle in Ontario have been designated as “species at risk”. Generally nocturnal creatures, Eastern musk turtles also rarely swim. Les navigateurs désuets ne disposent pas de caractéristiques sécuritaires permettant d’assurer la sécurité de vos renseignements. That increased adult mortality is actually what’s driving the population down,” explains John Urquhart, conservation science manager for Ontario Nature. There are still gaps in the knowledge of this species, thus more research is necessary to continue the conservation and recovery of the Blanding’s Turtle. It was designated a species of special concern by COSEWIC in 2002. – species likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to extirpation or extinction. A long snout makes this peculiar-looking creature unmistakable from its counterparts. The babies that do hatch are vulnerable to predators on land and in the water and few ever reach maturity (8-25 years of age depending on the species). In the meantime, here’s a list of common differences among Ontario’s to help you get started: Fun fact: These turtles can live to be 75. It also lives in bogs, marshes, meadows, coniferous forests, mixed forests and agricultural lands. The neck, chin and and front legs are a vivid orange-yellow colour. Threatened– species likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to extirpation or extinction. Wildlife in Canada is designated as Endangered, Threatened, Species of Special Concern, or Not at Risk. We help to mitigate all of these threats. The Turtle Guardian Program delivery area is in The Land Between– a region where 1/3 of Ontario’s turtles live. Snapping turtle in Ontario 0 50 100 200 300 400 Kilometres ©Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2012 Communities Roads as recorded by the Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre as of February 29, 2012 Species occurrence This map should not be relied on as a complete and accurate representation for locations of species at risk, routes or locations, Painted turtles feature distinctive black shells with dark red or orange markings. Turtle tips. Its markings are yellow, orange or even red. The northern map turtle is one of the most populous species in southern Ontario, and can be identified by the maplike patterns on its shell, and bright yellow lines on its heads and legs. The gender of many turtles, including all of the species found in the Kawarthas, is determined by incubation temperatures. Midland Painted Turtle & Western Painted Turtle. Incubation times vary depending on the weather conditions over the summer, but the eggs generally hatch in late summer or early fall. Turtles eat a combination of vegetables, turtle food and, depending on the species, insects. Threatened in Ontario, Endangered  in Canada, Endangered in Ontario, Threatened in Canada, Midland painted:  Special Concern in Canada, Designation of Turtle Species Provincially and Federally. Ontario Nature is actively involved in research, public education and policy work on their behalf. Turtle nests are laid in soil that is easy to dig and provides the correct amount of moisture so the eggs do not get too dry or too moist during incubation. Most species are restricted to southern Ontario (where all species can be observed) and Québec, while two others can also be found in the Maritimes or in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Unlike snapping turtles, which have yellow spots, look for a bright yellow chin and throat. Canadian populations of the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) are now found only in isolated pockets around central and southern Ontario. By submitting your information via this form, you agree to receive electronic communications from Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Solutions Inc., containing news, updates and promotions regarding cottage living and Cottage Life's products. Other species, such as Painted turtles, can be found in a wider variety of habitats. 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