A new emergency hotline in Wellington County is now available to assist motorists who encounter turtles on the road. Launched by the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group in August, the hotline aims to address the high turtle mortality rate in the area.
Founder of the conservation group, Sandy Nicholls, emphasized the urgent need for the hotline due to the abundance of wetlands, gravel pits, and turtles in Wellington County. Previously, individuals would contact the group’s social media pages regarding stranded turtles without providing location details, prompting the establishment of the hotline to gather specific information about the turtles’ whereabouts.
The hotline becomes particularly crucial during nesting season, with male turtles being most active in May and females in June. The predominant turtle species in Wellington County, including snapping turtles and painted turtles, are facing a rapid decline. Nicholls highlighted instances where landowners observed a significant reduction in painted turtles, attributing the decline to factors such as road mortality, habitat loss, and illegal poaching.
Notably, snapping turtles are classified as a species at risk in Ontario, designated as special concern. Meanwhile, federally, Midland and eastern painted turtles are also labeled as special concern due to the loss of approximately 70% of wetlands in southern Ontario over the last two centuries.
Despite the condition of a turtle appearing deceased or severely injured, Nicholls urged individuals to contact the hotline. Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for medical treatment, which may involve the use of pins and screws for rehabilitation.
Furthermore, even if a deceased turtle is discovered, contacting the hotline is advised, as females may still carry eggs. The conservation center can extract and incubate the eggs before releasing them back into their original wetland habitat. The conservation efforts of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group encompass responding to turtle incidents, safeguarding nests, caring for hatchlings, and releasing them into suitable environments.
Nicholls highlighted that the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre operates its hotline for reporting injured turtles across Ontario. To reach the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group hotline, individuals can dial 226-906-7014.