In Wellington County, motorists encountering turtles on the road now have access to a new emergency hotline for assistance. Initiated in August by the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group, the hotline aims to address the high turtle mortality rate in the county. Sandy Nicholls, the group’s founder, highlighted the pressing need for the hotline due to the abundance of wetlands, gravel pits, and turtles in the area.
Prior to the hotline’s launch, individuals often contacted the group’s social media platforms about stranded turtles without providing specific locations. The hotline now prompts callers with targeted queries to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of the distressed or injured turtle. Nicholls emphasized the hotline’s significance during nesting season, which sees heightened turtle activity in May for males and June for females.
The predominant turtle species in Wellington County, mainly snapping turtles and painted turtles, are facing a concerning decline. Reports from landowners indicate a stark reduction in turtle populations, attributed to road fatalities, habitat destruction, and illegal poaching. Snapping turtles are classified as a species at risk in Ontario, labeled as a special concern.
Although federally recognized as special concern, Midland and eastern painted turtles do not hold the same status in Ontario. The Canadian government website attributes the decline of painted turtles to the loss of approximately 70% of wetlands in southern Ontario over the past two centuries. Even in cases where turtles appear lifeless or severely injured, Nicholls urges the public to contact the hotline.
Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for medical treatment, where procedures like pinning and screwing are utilized for rehabilitation. Nicholls stressed the importance of reporting deceased turtles, as females may still carry viable eggs. Extracting and incubating these eggs could contribute to conservation efforts by releasing hatchlings back into their original wetland habitats.
The efforts of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group encompass responding to turtle emergencies, safeguarding nests, rescuing hatchlings, and reintroducing them to suitable environments. Additionally, Nicholls mentioned the availability of a hotline operated by the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for reporting injured turtles anywhere in Ontario.
To contact the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group hotline, individuals can dial 226-906-7014.