My passion for nature began with turtles. Catching these wary reptiles was one of my favourite pastimes as a child. I was especially proud whenever I managed to bring home a snapping turtle, keep it for a day or two and show it off to my friends and family. I was therefore pleased to learn that the Ontario government has finally decided to ban the hunting of this increasingly rare species. This is a huge step forward for turtle conservation and a victory for science-based decision making. Like all of Ontario’s turtles, the snapping turtle cannot tolerate additional losses to its adult population. The hunt was not sustainable, especially on top of other pressures such as habitat loss and road mortalities.
In late May and June, turtles are searching out nesting sites, such as the fine gravel of road shoulders. This is when people most often see turtles. However, turtle eggs stand a very poor chance of surviving the 90-day incubation period. Predators such as raccoons and skunks usually discover the nests within a matter of hours, dig up the eggs and enjoy a hearty meal. They leave behind the familiar sight of crinkled, white shells scattered around the nest area.
Roadkill, too, is a major cause of turtle mortality, especially at this time of year. Even worse, many of the turtles killed or injured are females on their way to lay eggs. Killing pregnant females not only removes reproductive adults from the population, but it also means all their potential future offspring are lost as well. Always drive carefully and keep an eye out for turtles on the road.
Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre
Sadly, numerous turtles continue to be hit by cars or injured in other ways. This is where the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) comes in. Located at 1434 Chemong Road in Peterborough, the OTCC has been working since 2002 to protect and conserve Ontario’s native turtles and their habitat. It is the only wildlife rehabilitation centre dedicated solely to providing medical and rehabilitative care to Ontario’s turtles.
Home to the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre, the OTCC operates a hospital, which treats, rehabilitates and releases injured turtles. From an average of 50-80 turtles in the early years, the Centre now receives about 500 turtles each year as more people across Ontario learn about its work. The OTCC also carries out extensive research in the field and runs a comprehensive education and outreach program. The Executive and Medical Director is Dr. Sue Carstairs, who is an authorized wildlife custodian with over 20 years of experience in wildlife medicine.
Because so few turtles ever reach sexual maturity – females don’t even reproduce until the age of 18 – each adult turtle is part of an extremely important group. This is why it’s so important to rehabilitate as many injured turtles as possible – especially females – and return them to the wild. According to Dr. Carstairs, the most recent figures show that 1400 eggs are required to replace just one mother snapping turtle. However, as long as turtles can avoid threats such as road traffic, they can live and breed for a long time. It is believed that snapping turtles have a lifespan of over 100 years.
The OTCC is supported by a province-wide network of veterinarians and wildlife centres, including more than 30 different “first response centres”. Over 100 volunteers then drive the turtles from across the province to Peterborough. In this way, the “patients” are admitted to OTCC quickly for ongoing care. Once stabilized with fluids, painkillers, antibiotics, and wound management, each turtle is x-rayed to check for internal injuries and to see if the females are gravid (pregnant). If so, they are usually induced to lay their eggs. With deceased turtles, the eggs are removed surgically. In both cases, the eggs are then moved to a nest container and incubated in the turtle nursery. Most hatchlings are quickly released in the marsh or pond closest to where their mother was found. However, babies from eggs that hatch late in the fall are kept over the winter and released in spring.
Because a turtle’s shell is made of bone, putting a fractured shell back together is orthopedic surgery. A number of different methods are used, depending on the type of fracture. Internal injuries, however, are the most life threatening. Like other injured animals, turtles go into shock, which means that timely care is of the essence. Other common medical interventions include repairing fractured jaws, removing fish hooks and treating everything from infections to pneumonia.
Because education is the key to turtle conservation, the OTCC offers a number of carefully tailored presentations both off- and on-site. Audiences range from kindergarten students all the way to cottagers associations. Their Chemong Road location houses a 1000 square foot education centre. It is home to non-releasable education turtles, interactive displays and a great gift shop. Visitors can enjoy behind-the-scenes viewing of the hospital, the rehabilitation centre and adorable baby turtles! The education centre also includes a new outdoor area with ponds, trails and informative signs.
What you can do
1. If you come across an injured turtle, take note of the exact location where you found it. Place the animal in a plastic container with a secure lid and wash your hands. Call the OTCC at 705-741-5000. The Centre is staffed seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. NOTE: Never attempt to treat any sick or injured animal, no matter what it is. In the case of birds and mammals, contact a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre by going to owren-online.org
2. If you encounter an uninjured turtle in the middle of a road and traffic conditions are safe, gently move the animal in the direction it is travelling. Snappers can be coaxed across using a shovel, board or big stick. Never pick up a turtle by its tail.
3. If you know of a road that is particularly dangerous for turtles, contact your local councillor or other elected official to see if warning signs can be erected.
4. Do not dig up nests to protect the eggs. If you are concerned about predators, you can build a turtle nest cage. Instructions can be found at torontozoo.com. Search for a pdf called “Turtles on your Property”. Remember to keep an eye out for hatchlings from late August until snow. Hatchling painted turtles sometimes overwinter in the ground and appear in spring.
5. If you are a lakeside property owner, keep your shoreline as natural as possible. Leave an un-mown buffer of vegetation that extends at least 10 metres deep back from the water’s edge. Leave any fallen logs that lie on or close to shore.
6. You can help to conserve turtles (and other reptiles and amphibians) by reporting your sightings to monitoring programs such as the Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Atlas at Ontarionature.org
7. The OTCC exists primarily thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers, which assist with turtle care, outreach and fundraising. If you are interested in volunteering, visit the website or phone 705-741-5000.
Ontario is home to eight species of turtle, six of which can be found in the Kawarthas. The only species that are not found locally are the wood and spiny softshell turtles. No less than seven of our province’s turtles are now listed as Species at Risk.
1. Midland painted turtle: This is our most common and widespread species. It is named for the bright yellow, orange and/or red streaks on the head and neck.
2. Snapping turtle (at risk): Easily identifiable by its often massive size and the serrated edges at the rear margin of the shell, the snapping turtle is most often seen in May and June when it is nesting.
3. Blanding’s turtle (at risk): This species has a dome-like shell and bright yellow throat. It is still quite common in the Kawarthas.
4. Musk turtle (at risk): This small, often algae-covered turtle, frequents shallow bays. It rarely leaves the water.
5. Map turtle (at risk): The shell of this large but wary species is covered by a network of map-like lines. The head and neck are streaked. They are often seen sunning themselves on the rocks of large lakes like Rice and Stony.
6. Spotted turtle (at risk): Small and secretive, spotted turtles have a smooth black shell with conspicuous bright yellow spots. There have only been a handful of confirmed sightings in the Kawarthas in recent years.
7. Wood turtle (at risk): This semi-terrestrial species spends most of its time on land in summer, inhabiting fields and forests near streams. Its shell looks like a piece of wood.
8. Spiny softshell turtle (at risk): This is a highly aquatic species found mostly in the Great Lakes and in large rivers. It lacks the horny plates on its shell that most turtles have.
Ontario also has one non-native turtle, the red-eared slider, which is superficially similar to the painted turtle. It is sold in pet stores. Unfortunately, disenchanted owners continue to release sliders into the wild, where they represent a threat to native turtles.
To celebrate the banning of the snapping turtle hunt, the OTTC will be hosting a fundraiser in Toronto on June 15. The event takes place at Torys LLP, located at 79 Wellington Street West. Tickets are $95 each, but come with a $45 tax receipt. There will be a short documentary on the Centre’s work, a silent auction, interactive displays and a chance to meet OTCC’s ambassador turtles!
To learn about all OTCC happenings such as regular open house events, visit ontarioturtle.ca.
Shauku yangu kwa asili ilianza na kasa. Kuvua wanyama hao wa mwituni wenye kujihadhari kulikuwa mojawapo ya mambo niliyopenda kufanya nilipokuwa mtoto. Nilikuwa na furaha sana kila mara nilipopata kasa wa kuogelea nyumbani, nikamweka kwa siku moja au mbili na kuonyeshwa kwa marafiki na familia yangu. Kwa hiyo, nilifurahi kujua kwamba hatimaye serikali ya Ontario imeamua kupiga marufuku uwindaji wa spishi hii inayozidi kuwa nadra. Hii ni hatua kubwa mbele kwa ajili ya uhifadhi wa kasa na ushindi kwa ajili ya maamuzi ya kisayansi. Kama kasa wote wa Ontario, kasa huyo hawezi kuvumilia hasara za ziada kwa idadi yake ya watu wazima. Uwindaji huo haukuwa wa kudumu, hasa juu ya shinikizo lingine kama vile kupoteza makao na vifo barabarani. Mwishoni mwa Mei na Juni, kasa hutafuta mahali pa kufanyia viota, kama vile mchanga mwembamba kwenye kando za barabara. Wakati huo ndipo watu wanapotazama kasa mara nyingi zaidi. Kwa mfano, mayai ya kasa yana uwezekano mdogo wa kuishi kipindi cha siku 90. Wanyama kama vile raccoons na skunks kwa kawaida hugundua viota ndani ya masaa machache, kuchimba mayai na kufurahia mlo wa kutosha. Wao huacha nyuma yao mandhari ya kawaida ya makombora meupe yaliyochongoka yaliyotawanyika kotekote katika eneo la kiota. Wanyama wanaouawa barabarani pia ni kisababishi kikuu cha vifaru kufa, hasa wakati huu wa mwaka. Hata hivyo, wengi wa kasa hao waliouawa au kujeruhiwa ni wanawake waliokuwa wakisafiri kwenda kulea mayai. Kuua wanawake wajawazito sio tu kuondoa watu wazima wa uzazi kutoka kwa idadi ya watu, lakini pia inamaanisha watoto wao wote wa baadaye wanapotea pia. Sikuzote uendeshe kwa uangalifu na uangalie kasa barabarani. Kituo cha Ontario cha Uhifadhi wa Kamba Kwa kusikitisha, kamba wengi wanaendelea kugongwa na magari au kujeruhiwa kwa njia nyingine. Kituo cha Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) ni mojawapo ya vituo vya kuhifadhi kasa. Kituo cha OTC, kilicho katika 1434 Chemung Road, Peterborough, Ontario, kimeanza kazi yake ya kulinda na kuhifadhi kasa wa asili wa Ontario na mazingira yao. Ni kituo pekee cha ukarabati wa wanyama wa porini kilichowekwa wakfu tu kwa kutoa huduma ya matibabu na ukarabati kwa kasa wa Ontario. Kituo cha Kawartha Turtle Trauma, ambacho ni kituo cha matibabu ya kasa, kinafanya kazi katika kituo cha matibabu ya kasa. Kati ya makundi 50 na 80 ya kasa katika miaka ya mwanzo, Kituo cha sasa hupokea karibu 500 kila mwaka kama watu zaidi kote Ontario kujifunza kuhusu kazi yake. OTCC pia hufanya utafiti mkubwa katika uwanja na inaendesha programu ya elimu na ufikiaji wa kina. Mkurugenzi Mtendaji na Mtaalamu wa Matibabu ni Dk Sue Carstairs, ambaye ni mlinzi wa wanyama wa porini aliyeidhinishwa na uzoefu wa zaidi ya miaka 20 katika dawa ya wanyama wa porini. Kwa sababu ni kasa wachache sana wanaofikia ukomavu wa kijinsia - wanawake hata hawazaliani hadi umri wa miaka 18 - kila kasa mzima ni sehemu ya kikundi muhimu sana. Hii ndiyo sababu ni muhimu sana kurekebisha kasa wengi waliojeruhiwa iwezekanavyo - hasa wanawake - na kuwarudisha porini. Kulingana na Dr. Carstairs, takwimu za hivi karibuni zinaonyesha kwamba mayai 1400 yanahitajika kuchukua nafasi ya mama mmoja tu wa kasa. Hata hivyo, kwa muda mrefu kama kasa wanaweza kuepuka vitisho kama vile trafiki barabarani, wanaweza kuishi na kuzaliana kwa muda mrefu. Inaaminika kwamba kasa hao huishi kwa zaidi ya miaka 100. Kituo cha OTCC kinaungwa mkono na mtandao wa mkoa wa madaktari wa mifugo na vituo vya wanyama wa porini, ikiwa ni pamoja na vituo zaidi ya 30 tofauti vya "msaada wa kwanza". Baada ya hapo, wajitoleaji zaidi ya 100 huendesha mashua hizo kutoka sehemu mbalimbali za jimbo hilo hadi Peterborough. Kwa njia hii, "wagonjwa" wanaruhusiwa kuingia OTCC haraka kwa ajili ya huduma ya kuendelea. Baada ya kuimarishwa kwa maji, dawa za kupunguza maumivu, viuavijasumu, na matibabu ya majeraha, kila kasa huchunguzwa kwa miale ya X ili kuchunguza majeraha ya ndani na kuona kama wanawake ni wajawazito. Ikiwa ndivyo, kwa kawaida wao huchochewa kuweka mayai yao. Kwa kasa waliokufa, mayai huondolewa kwa upasuaji. Katika visa vyote viwili, mayai hayo huhamishwa hadi kwenye chombo cha kufanyiza kiota na kuanguliwa katika chumba cha kulea kasa. Watoto wengi huachiliwa haraka katika mabwawa au vidimbwi vilivyo karibu zaidi na mahali ambapo mama yao alipatikana. Hata hivyo, watoto kutoka kwa mayai ambayo huanguliwa mwishoni mwa vuli huhifadhiwa wakati wa majira ya baridi kali na kuachiliwa wakati wa majira ya kuchipua. Kwa sababu ganda la kasa hutengenezwa kwa mifupa, kuunganisha ganda lililovunjika ni upasuaji wa mifupa. Mbinu mbalimbali hutumiwa, ikitegemea aina ya kuvunjika. Hata hivyo, majeraha ya ndani ndiyo yanayohatarisha uhai zaidi. Kama wanyama wengine waliojeruhiwa, kasa hupata mshtuko, na hilo linamaanisha kwamba ni muhimu kuwatunza kwa wakati unaofaa. Ugonjwa huu unajumuisha kurekebisha taya zilizovunjika, kuondoa ndoano za samaki na kutibu kila kitu kutoka kwa maambukizo hadi nimonia. Kwa sababu elimu ni ufunguo wa uhifadhi wa kasa, OTCC inatoa maonyesho kadhaa yaliyobuniwa kwa uangalifu nje na ndani ya tovuti. Watazamaji huanzia wanafunzi wa shule ya chekechea hadi mashirika ya wakazi wa nyumba ndogo. Kituo cha elimu cha Chemung Road kina mita za mraba 1000. Ni nyumbani kwa turtles elimu non-releasable, maonyesho maingiliano na duka kubwa zawadi. Wageni wanaweza kufurahia kutazama nyuma ya pazia la hospitali, kituo cha ukarabati na kasa wachanga wenye kupendeza! Kituo cha elimu pia ni pamoja na eneo jipya nje na vidimbwi, njia na ishara za habari. Unaweza kufanya nini? 1. Ikiwa umekutana na kasa aliyejeruhiwa, andika mahali hususa ulipomkuta. Weka mnyama katika chombo cha plastiki na kuosha mikono yako. Piga simu kwa OTC kwa 705-741-5000. Kituo hicho kina wafanyakazi siku saba kwa wiki kutoka saa nane asubuhi hadi saa nane jioni. Kumbuka: Kamwe usijaribu kutibu mnyama yeyote mgonjwa au aliyejeruhiwa, bila kujali ni nini. Kwa wale ambao wanajua jinsi ya kuhifadhi wanyama wa pori, tafadhali wasiliana na kituo cha urekebishaji wa wanyama wa pori kilicho na leseni kwa kwenda kwa owen.org. Ikiwa unakutana na kasa asiye na jeraha katikati ya barabara na hali ya trafiki ni salama, kwa upole kuhamisha mnyama katika mwelekeo wa kusafiri. Snappers inaweza coaxed katika kutumia jembe, bodi au fimbo kubwa. Kamwe usimchukue kasa kwa mkia wake. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Ikiwa unajua barabara ambayo ni hatari sana kwa kasa, wasiliana na mshauri wako wa eneo lako au afisa mwingine aliyechaguliwa ili uone ikiwa ishara za onyo zinaweza kuwekwa. 4. Uwe na uhakika Usichimbue viota ili kulinda mayai. Ikiwa una wasiwasi kuhusu wanyama wa kuwinda, unaweza kujenga ngome ya kiota cha kasa. Maagizo yanaweza kupatikana kwenye torontozoo.com. Tafuta pdf inayoitwa <unk>Turtles on your Property<unk>. Kumbuka kuwa macho kwa hatchlings kutoka mwishoni mwa Agosti hadi theluji. Nyakati nyingine kasa hao huishi chini ya ardhi wakati wa majira ya baridi kali na huonekana wakati wa majira ya kuchipua. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Ikiwa wewe ni mmiliki wa nyumba iliyo kando ya ziwa, weka pwani yako iwe ya asili iwezekanavyo. Kuondoa un-mowed buffer ya mimea ambayo inaendelea angalau mita 10 kina nyuma kutoka ukingo wa maji. Acha miti yoyote iliyoanguka ambayo iko kwenye pwani au karibu na pwani. 6. Uwe na uhakika Unaweza kusaidia kuhifadhi kasa (na wanyama wengine wa kutambaa na wa kuogelea) kwa kuripoti maono yako kwa programu za ufuatiliaji kama vile Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Atlas kwenye Ontarionature.org. Kituo cha OTCC kinaishi hasa kwa shukrani kwa timu ya wajitoleaji wa kujitolea, ambao husaidia na utunzaji wa kasa, ufikiaji na kukusanya fedha. Ikiwa una nia ya kujitolea, tembelea tovuti au piga simu 705-741-5000. Ontario ni makao ya spishi nane za kasa, sita kati ya hizo zinaweza kupatikana katika Kawarthas. Spishi pekee ambazo hazipatikani katika eneo hilo ni kasa wa mbao na kasa wenye miiba. Sasa ni kasa saba tu wa mkoa wetu walioorodheshwa kuwa spishi zilizo hatarini. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kipepeo wa Midland aliyechorwa: Hii ndiyo spishi yetu ya kawaida na iliyoenea sana. Imepewa jina kutokana na mistari ya manjano, machungwa na au nyekundu kwenye kichwa na shingo. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kamba-mti (katika hatari): Inaweza kutambuliwa kwa urahisi kwa ukubwa wake mkubwa na kingo za serrated kwenye ukingo wa nyuma wa ganda, kamba-mti ni mara nyingi kuonekana Mei na Juni wakati ni nesting. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kipepeo wa Blanding (katika hatari): Spishi hii ina ganda linalofanana na dome na koo la manjano mkali. Bado ni jambo la kawaida sana katika Kawarthas. 4. Uwe na uhakika Kamba-mti wa Musk (aliye hatarini): Kamba-mti huyu mdogo, ambaye mara nyingi hufunikwa na mwani, hutembelea maeneo yasiyo na kina kirefu. Ni mara chache sana hutoka majini. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Kamba-mti wa ramani (aliye hatarini): Kofia ya spishi hii kubwa lakini yenye tahadhari imefunikwa na mtandao wa mistari inayofanana na ramani. Kichwa na shingo zimechongwa. Mara nyingi wao huonekana wakichukua jua kwenye miamba ya maziwa makubwa kama vile Maziwa ya Mchele na ya Jiwe. 6. Uwe na uhakika Kamba-mti wenye madoa (wenye hatari): Kamba-mti wenye madoa ni wadogo na wana siri, na wana ganda la rangi nyeusi laini lenye madoa ya manjano yenye kung'aa. Kumekuwa na matukio machache tu ya kuthibitishwa katika Kawarthas katika miaka ya hivi karibuni. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Turtle (at risk): Aina hii ya nusu-ardhi hutumia muda wake mwingi kwenye ardhi wakati wa kiangazi, akiishi mashamba na misitu karibu na vijito. Kamba yake inaonekana kama kipande cha mbao. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Kamba-mti (spiny softshell turtle) ni spishi ya samaki wa baharini inayopatikana katika Maziwa Makuu na mito mikubwa. Hauna mabamba yenye pembe kwenye ganda lake ambayo kasa wengi wana. Ontario pia ina kasa mmoja asiye wa asili, yule slider mwenye masikio mekundu, ambaye kwa sura ni sawa na kasa aliyechorwa. Inauzwa katika maduka ya wanyama-vipenzi. Kwa kusikitisha, wamiliki waliokata tamaa wanaendelea kuachilia wanyama hao porini, ambako wao huwatia hatari kasa wa asili. Kwa kuadhimisha siku ya kuondolewa kwa uwindaji wa kasa, shirika la OTTC litakaribisha sherehe ya kukusanya fedha huko Toronto Juni 15. Mkutano huo unafanyika katika Torys LLP, iliyoko 79 Wellington Street West. Tiketi za kila mtu zinagharimu $ 95 na zinakuja na risiti ya kodi ya $ 45. Kuna filamu fupi ya maandishi juu ya kazi ya Kituo, mnada wa kimya, maonyesho ya maingiliano na nafasi ya kukutana na kasa wa balozi wa OTCC! Kwa habari zaidi kuhusu shughuli za OTC, tafadhali tembelea www.oTC.org.