Newsletter of the Adopt-A-PondWetland Conservation Programme,Sponsored by Banrock StationWetlands Foundation Canada

In thisIssue

Turtle S.H.E.L.L.……..…..1-2Lily Pads & Cattails……...2KTTC: 2003 Update…....3-4Ribbet’s Review…….……4Turtle Crossing Signs….....5Call’um of the Wild…...6-7

Turtle S.H.E.L.L. Tortue: Helping Turtles Across the RoadBy: Bill Bower

In the spring of 1997, Michele Andre-St. Cyrbegan keeping a diary of her observations ofturtles crossing roads inEastern Ontario. Sherecorded numbers of turtlesseen crossing roads,locations, species killed, andspecies injured. She broughtthe injured turtles to localveterinarians specializing inreptiles to receive medicalattention. Turtles were thencared for in the rehabilitationcentre in her home. Whenthe turtles had recoveredfrom their injuries they werereleased at the locationwhere they were found.Observations, recordingsand care continued throughthe spring of 1999 at whichtime she began concentrating her efforts onestablishing TURTLE S.H.E.L.L. TORTUE (Safety

Habitat EducationLong Life). TURTLES.H.E.L.L. wasincorporated as anon-profit organizationin April of 2001 andgained charitablestatus in January of

2003. The goals of the organisation include:provision of medical care and rehabilitation for

indigenous turtle species; installationof turtle crossing signs alongroadways; education of adults andchildren of the importance ofprotecting Ontario’s turtles;preservation of turtle nesting areas,and involvement of governments inconserving wetlands for futuregenerations.

Initially, it took approximately sixmonths to design turtle crossing signs,while conforming to standardprovincial highway traffic signregulations. Local governmentsapproved the sign design, whichwas a joint effort between TURTLES.H.E.L.L. and Western Signs & LinePainting Ltd. In June 2000, the first

seventeen signs, bearing a pictograph of a turtlewith tire marks across its shell, were installed in theUnited Counties of Prescott-Russell. The signscaught the attention of CBC Radio and TV andthere were a number of very positive articlessupporting this initiative in local newspapers. As ofthe spring 2003, 160 signs have been installed inthe new City of Ottawa, Counties of LeedsGrenville, Lanark and Peterborough. Signscontinue to be installed on roads in eastern

Vol.13 No.2 ISSN 1705-8228 Summer 2003

Citizens Saving Turtles

Continued on Page 2

Amphibian Voice 2

Ontario in areas of high turtle mortality. TURTLES.H.E.L.L. works closely with local governments andvarious conservation groups to promote driverawareness and turtle conservation. The first TURTLES.H.E.L.L. education booklet was written andprinted in June 2001 in both official languages. Athird edition is currently being completed alongwith an activity booklet for younger children. Ourobjective is to make the booklets available toeducators and other community organisations inthe hopes of inspiring an interest in turtles and anawareness of the critical need to maintainremaining wetlands and other suitable habitat forour indigenous turtle populations.

In September of 2001, TURTLE S.H.E.L.L. presented aturtle emergency surgery and rehabilitationworkshop at the University of Guelph, AlfredCampus, for interested local veterinarians andclub members. Kathy Michell, an expert on turtleinjury and care from New York state, instructedthose in attendance on how to carefully repairand rehabilitate injured turtles, a process that cantake up to a year.

With the help of a generous grant from Friends ofthe Environment, Ottawa Chapter, the club wasable to purchase and equip a turtle care centre inRockland, Ontario in the fall of 2002. Ourobjective is to accept injured turtles, repair andcare for them and return them to their originalhabitat at the earliest opportunity. The first‘patients’ are now in our care and, unfortunately,more are expected to arrive. Although much hasbeen accomplished, much more remains to bedone. The Club would like to thank the manycompanies, government and privateorganisations and individuals who have providedsupport and donations for the organisation toachieve its goals.

For more information on TURTLE S.H.E.L.L. pleasevisit our website at www.turtleshelltortue.org orwrite to TURTLE S.H.E.L.L. TORTUE, 517 Wilson Road,Rockland, ON K4K 1K7.

Editor’s Note: Adopt-A-Pond supports the efforts ofturtle conservation groups across the province likeTurtle S.H.E.L.L. Tortue, Community EnvironmentNetwork, Kids 4 Turtles and the Kawartha Turtle TraumaCentre. Look on page 3 for the 2003 update on theKawartha Turtle Trauma Centre.

Lily Pads & CattailsAdopt-A-Pond Updates

By: Sarah Ingwersen

As turtles in Ontario face increased threats, it isimportant to keep a record of all turtle sightings inOntario. Whether you encounter a turtle on theroad, at your cottage, on a hike or in your ownbackyard, we want to know about it. The OntarioTurtle Tally is a new Adopt-A-Pond project. Toreceive a copy of our simple data form, contactAdopt-A-Pond and report your turtle sightings, bymail, phone or fax! Work on the on-line version isunderway so next year it will be even easier toshare you sightings. All data will be compiled andnoteworthy sightings will be forwarded to theNatural Heritage Information Centre and turtleresearchers in Ontario. If you are in the Kawarthaarea report your sightings to Kawartha TurtleWatch at www.trentu.ca/biology/turtlewatch

Five of our eight turtle species are listed asthreatened or of special concern by theCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife inCanada (COSEWIC), the status of a sixth, theBlanding’s turtle, is currently under review inOntario. All Ontario turtles face grave threats, forexample, Snapping turtles can be harvested forhuman consumption by any person with a validfishing license! On each license a person canpossess up to five live Snapping turtles at any onetime. (Recently, a southern Ontario man wascharged under the Fish and Wildlife ConservationAct for possessing 123 live Bullfrogs, 10 liveSnapping turtles and 2 Midland painted turtles inhis car. He was given a fine of $10, 000 and hasbeen banned from fishing for three years. Theanimals were seized by police and were laterreturned to Lake Scugog). In 2003, the state ofMaine, recognising the enormous number ofthreats to Snapping turtles, introduced a ban onSnapping turtle harvest.

Turtle populations in Ontario and abroad, areunder enormous pressure due to habitat loss, roadmortality, collection for the pet trade andcollection for consumption. Help Ontario’s turtlesby reporting your sightings, creating wetlandhabitat and/or organising a community

Amphibian Voice 2

stewardship group to install turtle crossing signs(see page 6 for a step by step on how to do this!).

Amphibian Voice 3

Kawartha Turtle TraumaCentre: 2003 Update

By: Dr. Kristy Hiltz

At the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre we are wellinto our second season, and are pleased to seethat more and more people are bringing injuredturtles in to us, although the number of turtles wehave admitted has been almost overwhelming,considering our limitations in funding, manpowerand space! Thankfully we have a very dedicatedgroup of people who are working day (and night)to help our turtle friends.

At present we have seen well over 50 turtles andare housing about 30. Many of these will remainwith us over the winter as they recover from theirinjuries. We are also incubating hundreds of eggs,either passed by our patients or salvaged fromturtles that have died. I can hardly wait to see thehatchlings as they emerge!

Our greatest achievement this year has beensaving the life of a badly injured female Blanding'sturtle. Brought in by someone from the MNR, Emywas dehydrated and suffering from broken upperand lower jaws, fractures on her carapace, bridgeand plastron, a broken pelvis, and badlydamaged eyes. She also had pneumonia. Emy'slower jaw was wired, a short-term patch wasplaced on her fractured shell, and a feeding tubewas placed. Needless to say, we had a verydifficult time turning her around, but she has donevery well. Emy is not yet eating on her own, butshe has maintained her weight despite her injuries,

and has resumed many normal turtle behaviourssuch as basking. Emy is a favourite turtle amongthe volunteers at the Centre- we just can't helpbut admire her docile nature and incredible will tolive!

Emy is one of three Blanding's turtles we admittedthis year. Another female was beyond help, withsevere head injuries, but a male that arrived thisweekend looks like he will pull through. Two Mapturtles have also been brought to the Centre.These two species are at risk in Ontario, makingthe individuals we are working with very importantindeed.

Lots of lovely painted turtles have come throughthe door, with many different injuries. We arestarting to use different methods of repair,including wire, screws, and even dental braces!Most turtles we have seen have been hit by cars,but some have been injured by predators. Onegravid (pregnant) turtle had been gnawed on bya dog before its owners came to her rescue. Our

Map turtle at the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre

Dr. Hiltz examines a snapping turtle, don’t try this at home!

Emy with her feeding tube

Amphibian Voice 4

male Blanding's has had one leg amputatedabove the knee, and a painted turtle and smallsnapping turtle have had feet bitten off. Theseare all old injuries, once again

Speedbump is a large male snapping turtle thatis having a very difficult time, and we areconcerned for his survival. He has multiplefractures on his carapace and bridge, and alsohas a broken leg. A veterinarian in Peterborough,Dr. Joe Muise, offered to pin Speedbump's legand put bone plates on his shell. The surgery tookover three hours to perform. Speedbump'srecovery has been slow, and we decided toplace a feeding tube in his neck to assist hisrecovery. Let's hope he pulls through!

We are very encouraged by the stories we arehearing more and more often about peopledoing things to help turtles. Organizations likeAdopt-A-Pond and the KTTC are workingtogether to help our Ontario turtles, but moreimportantly, people across the province arerealizing that only through the stewardship effortsof everyone together can we slow or stop thecatastrophic decline of these marvelous reptiles.You can make a difference!

If you would like to see more of the work we aredoing, visit our website atwww.kawarthaturtle.org

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, as we were getting readyto go to press Speedbump succumbed to his injuries.The Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre and all turtlerescue centres need funds to continue to help turtles.Your donations are appreciated and go directly tohelping Ontario’s turtles.

Ribbet’s ReviewBy Alison Ronson

What Newt Could Do For Turtle

By Jonathan London, illustrated by Louise VocePublished by Candlewick Press, 1996,

ISBN: 0763605808

Turtle is Newt’s greatest friend. Together theyspend their summer in the swamp- and every dayis filled with adventure and excitement. One day,when Newt is stuck in the mud, Turtle pulls himout. When Newt is almost eaten by snakes andalligators, it is Turtle who rescues him. At the endof all the adventures, grateful Newt is left askinghimself, “What can I do for Turtle?” He longs torepay the kindnesses of his friend. Finally, the daycomes- Turtle is stranded on his back and cannotturn over, but where is Newt? Find out how Newtsaves the day, and cements the bond offriendship between himself and Turtle.

Written by Jonathan London and with fantasticillustrations by Louise Voce, “What Newt CouldDo For Turtle”, while intended for children aged 3-7, is a great story for everyone, young and old,and will enchant both amphibian lovers andreptile fanatics alike. Kids will love the vibrantand cute pictures of Turtle and Newt, and will

Vets work for 3 hours to repair Speedbump’s leg

Amphibian Voice 4

learn about friendship and caring and theimportance of saying thanks.

Amphibian Voice 5

Setting Up Turtle CrossingSigns in Your Community:

A step by step guide from themembers of the Community

Environment Network in Bancroft

By Daniel Boileau

Want to help protect migrating turtles in yourcommunity? Here are a few helpful tips to getyour turtle sign project on the road!

1. MAKE NEW FRIENDSFind a local group that is committed toenvironmental matters in your area. A naturalistclub, cottage associations, girl guides, boyscouts, etc. Anyone who will listen to yourconcerns and lend a helping hand should beenlisted in your campaign.

2. LOCATE THE TURTLESSet up a community wildlife watch by placing anotice in the local paper . Ask people to informyou of roadways where turtles are often spotted.Determine which roads contribute to turtledeaths and prioritize them. Do this to ensure thatthey receive quick attention when you’re readyto go.

3. START NETWORKINGWith priorities set, find out what you’ll need tohelp this project along. Signs, advertising, helpinghands, letter writers and funding will all be

necessary to make this project work. Talk topeople who can provide these things. Try yourlocal Ministry of Natural Resources office, aStewardship Council, Ontario Parks, municipalofficials, schools and local associations. Someoneout there will have an interest in helping you. TryAdopt-A-Pond! (aap@torontozoo.ca)

4. CREATE A BUDGETOnce you’ve figured out everything you willneed, prepare a budget listing all expenseswhich will be required to get signs in the ground.

5. SEEK APPROVALSDetermine ownership of the roads which have beselected for signs. Are they a municipalresponsibility or provincial. Who is in charge ofthese roads? Write letters listing all of yoursupporters. Set up meetings with councils androads department superintendents. Make yourcase as to why they should offer their support -be it moral and/or financial. Make it as easy forthem as possible. Government officials are busyand don’t want extra work. However if someoneappears with a good idea, a budget and a plan,they will likely be more receptive of yourproposal.

6. BE PERSISTENTWhile municipal officials are easy to target forlocal roads, you will have to work through manycivil servants in order to find support for theprovincial highway system. Here are a fewcontacts to get you started: Ministry ofTransportation, Regional Traffic Section, P.O. Bag4000, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 5A3. Also try thisoffice: Ministry of Transportation, 301 St. Paul St.,St. Catherines, Ontario, L2R 7R4. Send to theattention of Mr. Harold Doyle. Good luck.

7. START PASSING THE HATRaise money any way you can. Find sponsorsand donors. If someone turns you down forfinancial donations - try to encourage them tohelp in some other way.

With the funds in place, support from localgroups, and the signs in hand, you will be readyto erect your signs in accordance with approvalsyou’ve received from local officials. You mayeven ask for their help, just to ensure that thesigns are properly placed and secure from trafficand would-be thieves.

Midland painted turtle Photo by: Judith Ingwersen

Amphibian Voice 6

Call’um of the WildRescuing turtles in war-torn Bosnia

By Wes von Papineäu,Staff officer, National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa

One of the advantages of participating in apeacekeeping activity is the opportunity toobserve wildlife from exotic countries in their(almost) natural habitat. In an Army career, onemight have the chance to follow fire salamandersto their breeding streams in Croatia, shake snakesout of a sleeping bag in Afghanistan, chase canetoads in Hawaii and pass by alligators sunningthemselves in a headquarters parking lot in Tampa,Florida.

In the fall of 1991, the NATO peacekeeping base inBanja Luka, Bosnia was engaged in a massiveengineering effort to put in new security fencingand a helicopter-landing pad. The result of thiswas that, from time to time, a bulldozer wouldexcavate a turtle trying to burrow in for winter inthe soft mud of the small creek that ran throughthe camp. One lucky individual was turned overby the engineers to the Dutch nurses working atthe base hospital … who subsequently built‘Stoney the turtle’ a small home next to their livingtrailers.

As the nurses left the camp to return home, theyturned ‘Stoney’ over to me; the Canadian ‘snakeofficer’ who was known to wander the campstaring intently at the variety of snakes and‘crawling things’ that had found their way into thecamp (and sometimes into people’s sleeping

quarters). Since I was now responsible for thecomfort of my own small hard-shelled ‘refugee’, Ihad to turn my office into a small turtle sanctuary… complete with a small fence, pan of water,basking lamp and the very best in tidbits from thecamp kitchen.

As the word spread of the ‘turtle farm’, more andmore turtles (and tortoises) began to be droppedoff on my front step. Some were fellow victims oflosing their habitat to local engineering initiatives,others were caught up in the good hearted butmiss-guided humanitarian efforts of kind souls who,finding a turtle crossing a road, figured that it was‘lost’ and in need of a good home somewheresafe!In the spring, most of the turtles and tortoises were

taken back to suitable areas and released, butalas, ‘Stoney’ the European pond turtle andanother female of the same species, were still withme. Their home had been bulldozed dry andthere appeared to be no area close by suitable tobe their new home.

A phone call back to Canada to Mike Rankin (aherpetology associate with the Canadian Museumof Nature) resulted in him contacting Bob Johnson,Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles at the TorontoZoo. Bob then coordinated a series of governmentdepartments to explore the possibility of havingthe two now homeless turtles moved to Canada.Weeks of explorations, negotiation and paperwork resulted in permits being issued to bring thetwo across, and the Toronto Zoo madearrangements to have the turtles met at the airportwhere they still had to pass customs and health

Peacekeepers watch over a rescued turtle

European pond turtle

Amphibian Voice 7

procedures (but not immigration). On beinggiven the ‘all clear’, the turtles were then movedquickly to the Toronto Zoo where they werequarantined, medically checked and put on thevery best of turtle diets. After a short stay in thebig city, the two were subsequently moved to apermanent home with the Paddock Zoo inAtascadero, California.

My experience in this peacekeeping missiondemonstrated that regardless of where you are inthe world, there are environmental sensitivitiesthat you must be aware of. There are always veryreal opportunities to do something good for someof the local wildlife, and prove that environmentalawareness is a worldwide concern, regardless ofyour nationality or current employment.

Editor’s Note: The turtles were obtained by theCalifornia zoo to demonstrate the impacts of war onwildlife and we were pleased to bring a Canadianperspective to this message. Toronto Zoo, along with allof Canada very much respects the efforts of Wes vonPapineau and our armed forces demonstrating suchconcern for wildlife while under such tryingcircumstances.

Life as a ‘Turtler’ atAlgonquin Park’s Wildlife

Research StationBy Sara Boivin-Chabot, Jenny Kellar and Phung Tran

In the early 1970s, at the Wildlife Research Stationlocated in Algonquin Park, an ambitious turtleproject began. Since that very auspicious year, asteady stream of researchers, supervised by Dr.Ron J. Brooks of the University of Guelph, havehad a hand in contributing to a huge databaseon the turtles in and around the park. This long-term study now includes over 500 Painted turtles(Chrysemis picta), 100 Snapping turtles (Chelydraserpentina serpentina), 150 Wood turtles(Clemmys insculpta) and a few Blanding’s turtles(Emys blandingii). These amazing creatures arecaught every year by a carefully selected teamof researchers who collect information for thisongoing study focusing on population ecology,and individual growth and reproduction.

The turtle research season starts off in late April asthe turtles begin to emerge from the mud at the

bottom of the pond or the lake, where they spentthe long winter. At this time turtles bask onfloating logs and bog mats, allowing theseectotherms to soak up the sun’s energy to bringtheir body temperatures to optimum levels. Theturtle team, a.k.a. the “Turtlers”, catch turtles usinga net while paddling around the pond in acanoe. The turtles that are caught are brought tothe research lab at the station where they areidentified, measured and checked for wounds ordeformities. A turtle is identified by a small silvertag, which can be found on the edge of theircarapace (placed there by previous Turtlers), orby specific and unique characteristics that werenoted in previous years. New turtles are alsocaught every year and are inaugurated into thestudy by being tagged with a new identificationnumber. Once the researchers are finished withthe tagging/measurement process, their numberis painted on their carapace for easyidentification during the nesting season (the paintdisappears with their scutes, which are shed everyyear). The turtles are then released back to thepond in which they were caught so that they canreturn to their favourite log or bog mat tocontinue basking!

The research continues into June and July whenthe females are nesting. Fighting through the wallof blackflies and mosquitoes, the researchersrecord the females that are old enough to layeggs and watch for them to start digging. After aturtle has laid her clutch, the eggs are carefullydug up and taken back to the lab formeasurements. Each turtle has her own nestdatabase, so that we can compare theconditions in which she laid, the state of her eggs

Numbered study turtles return to the water in Algonguin Park

Amphibian Voice 7

as she grows older and what made her choosethe spot to lay her eggs. The eggs are then

Amphibian Voice 8

Volume 13, No. 2

Amphibian Voice is distributed toschools and communitiesparticipating in the Adopt-A-Pond programme. The purposeof this newsletter is to provideinformation on amphibian, turtleand wetland conservation issuesand efforts in Ontario.

Send in your stories, drawings andphotographs to the addressbelow and we will “hoppily”include them in future issues.

Editors:Sarah IngwersenAdopt-A-Pond Coordinator

Bob JohnsonCurator of Reptiles & Amphibians

Contributors:Bill Bower, Dr. Kristy Hiltz, AlisonRonson, Daniel Boileau, Wes vonPapineau, Sara Boivin-Chabot,Jenny Kellar, Phung Tran andSarah Ingwersen.

Support for the Adopt-A-PondProgramme:Toronto Zoo Foundation

Adopt-A-Pond is a non-profit wetlandeducation programme. Costs toproduce this newsletter, and otherresources, are funded by grants andprivate donations.

We welcome support of ourprogramme! Please makecheques payable to “TorontoZoo” and send them to thefollowing address. Thank you!

Adopt-A-PondToronto Zoo

361A Old Finch Ave.Scarborough, ON M1B 5K7

Fax: (416) 392-4979aap@torontozoo.ca

Printed on recycled paper

carefully returned back to their original nest in less than 12 hours.

So why does all of this matter? Why has this study lasted almost 30years and why will it continue? Each Turtler could tell you a tale oftheir participation in the project, but it goes beyond individualinterest. The conservation of turtle species in Ontario, Canada andthe world needs as much information as possible in order to makeresponsible decisions on behalf of turtles. The more we understand,the more equipped we are to help conserve our natural heritage.

Hey, Kids! Try Our Turtle Quiz …A TURTLE-RIFIC QUIZ

1. There are______species of turtles native to Ontario.a) 4b) 0c) 8d) 12

2. The carapace is the upper part of a turtle’s shell.

True or False

3. Ontario’s largest turtle is the: a) Spotted Turtleb) Musk Turtlec) Snapping Turtled) Spiny Softshell Turtle

4. _____% of young turtles survives to adulthood:a) 1b) 30c) 50d) 100

5. Female turtles are often found on the road in June and Julybecause they are seeking appropriate nesting sites.

True or False

6. The _________is NOT a native to Ontario.a) Common Snapping Turtleb) Red Eared Sliderc) Blanding’s Turtled) Western Painted Turtle

7. A turtle is a:a) mammalb) amphibianc) fishd) reptile

8. You can help turtles in Ontario by:a) organizing a community group to install turtle crossing

signsb) encouraging a local school to use Adopt-A-Pond’s Turtle

Resourcesc) participating in Adopt-A-Pond’s Ontario Turtle Tallyd) all of the above!

Answers: 1. c; 2. True; 3. c; 4. a; 5. True; 6. b; 7. d; 8. d

Summer 2003