A new emergency hotline has been introduced in Wellington County to assist motorists encountering turtles on the road. The Wellington Turtle Conservation Group unveiled the hotline recently to address the high number of turtle fatalities in the area.
Sandy Nicholls, the founder of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group, emphasized the necessity of the hotline due to the significant turtle population in Wellington County, which includes various wetlands and gravel pits. Previously, many individuals would contact the group via social media regarding stranded turtles without providing location details.
The turtle hotline now prompts callers with 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 county is home to primarily snapping turtles and painted turtles, both facing a rapid decline according to Nicholls.
Factors contributing to the decline include road mortality, habitat loss, and illegal poaching. Snapping turtles are listed as a species at risk in Ontario, labeled as special concern. Similarly, midland and eastern painted turtles are federally labeled as special concern, with approximately 70% of wetland loss in southern Ontario over the past two centuries contributing to their decline.
Nicholls urges individuals to contact the hotline even if a turtle appears deceased or severely injured. Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for medical treatment, which may involve surgical procedures to mend injuries. Additionally, even deceased female turtles may still harbor viable eggs that can be extracted, incubated, and released back into their natural habitat.
The Wellington Turtle Conservation Group is actively involved in responding to turtle calls, safeguarding nests, rescuing hatchlings, and releasing them into suitable environments. Nicholls highlighted the availability of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre’s hotline for reporting injured turtles across Ontario.
For assistance from the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group hotline, individuals can call 226-906-7014.
