Driving through Wellington County and encountering a turtle on the road can now prompt a call to a new emergency hotline for assistance. The Wellington Turtle Conservation Group recently introduced its hotline in response to the high mortality rate of turtles in the county.
Founder of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group, Sandy Nicholls, emphasized the necessity of the hotline due to the abundance of wetlands, gravel pits, and turtles in Wellington County. She explained that many individuals previously contacted the group’s social media pages regarding stranded turtles without providing their location, prompting the establishment of the hotline.
During nesting season, which sees increased turtle activity in May for male turtles and June for females, the hotline plays a crucial role in pinpointing the exact location of stranded or injured turtles. The predominant turtle species in Wellington County, including snapping turtles and painted turtles, are experiencing a significant decline, as reported by Nicholls.
Factors contributing to this decline include road mortality, habitat loss, and illegal poaching. Snapping turtles are listed as a species at risk in Ontario, specifically labeled as a special concern. Additionally, midland and eastern painted turtles hold a federal special concern designation, although not in Ontario, with the government of Canada attributing the decline of painted turtles to the loss of approximately 70% of wetlands in southern Ontario over the past two centuries.
Nicholls emphasized the importance of contacting the hotline even if a turtle appears deceased or severely injured. Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for medical treatment, including procedures such as using pins and screws for their recovery. Nicholls highlighted the possibility of extracting eggs from deceased female turtles for incubation and subsequent release back into their natural habitat.
The efforts of the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group involve responding to turtle-related calls, safeguarding nests, collecting hatchlings, and releasing them in optimal 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, individuals can dial 226-906-7014.