Drivers in Wellington County now have access to a new emergency hotline for assisting turtles found on the roads. The Wellington Turtle Conservation Group recently introduced this hotline in response to the high mortality rate of turtles in the county.
Founder of the group, Sandy Nicholls, emphasized the urgent need for the hotline in Wellington County due to the abundance of wetlands, gravel pits, and turtles in the area. Many individuals would previously contact the group through social media about stranded turtles but often omitted providing the location.
The hotline is designed to ask specific questions to pinpoint the exact location of the stranded or injured turtle, particularly crucial during nesting season when male turtles are 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 the distressing accounts from landowners who have witnessed a significant decrease in the turtle population over the years.
Main factors contributing to this decline include road mortality, habitat loss, and illegal poaching. Snapping turtles are classified as a species at risk in Ontario and are categorized as special concern.
While Midland and eastern painted turtles are federally labeled as special concern, they do not hold the same status in Ontario. The Canadian government’s website attributes the decline of painted turtles to the loss of approximately 70% of wetlands in southern Ontario over the past two centuries.
Nicholls encourages people to contact the hotline even if a turtle appears deceased or severely injured. Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for necessary medical care.
Even if the turtle has passed away, it is crucial to notify the hotline as female turtles may still harbor eggs. The conservation center can extract and incubate the eggs before releasing them back into their natural habitat.
The efforts of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group involve responding to turtle distress calls, safeguarding nests, rescuing hatchlings, and releasing them under suitable conditions.
Nicholls also mentioned the availability of a hotline operated by the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for reporting injured turtles across Ontario.
To contact the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group hotline, dial 226-906-7014.