CONSERVING TURTLES IN THE ROUGE VALLEY

In partnership with the Rouge Park, the Toronto Zoo has launched the Urban Turtle Initiative to help conserve turtle species in the Rouge Valley.  Blanding's, Map and Stinkpot turtles have all been identified as Species at Risk.  We are conducting biological research in the field to find out how these species cope in an urban environment and what we can do to help them survive.  We are also following snapping turtles to gain more information on this species and to assist with public education.

The aim of the Urban Turtle Initiative is to determine the population size, distribution and habitat usage of turtle species in the Rouge Valley, in order to make recommendations for the conservation management of these species.

In particular, we want to:

1. Identify critical habitat, in particular nesting and hibernation sites, and to protect these by developing a conservation management plan.
2. Create guidelines for planners, land owners, municipalities and communities to live harmoniously with turtles.
3. Provide community-based education materials pertaining to turtle conservation.

Through studies of snapping turtles in the Rouge Valley extending over seven years, overwintering sites along the Rouge River and several nesting beaches along the Little Rouge River were identified by Toronto Zoo's Adopt-A-Pond Programme.  In 2005, we launched the Urban Turtle Initiative and were able to identify a nesting beach utilized by a Blanding's turtle. In 2006, we used creative trapping techniques in order to add the elusive Northern map turtle to study design.

How do we do this?  We have attached devices that transmit radio signals at specific frequencies on four snapping turtles, six Blanding's turtles, and three Northern map turtles.  All the turtles in our study are teaching us a lot about the secret lives of turtles right here in our own neighbourhood.  Click here to meet the turtles.

Preliminary results show that turtles have very specific home ranges and nesting and overwintering sites that are used year after year, which makes critical habitat conservation very important.  We are also finding that our Blanding's turtles make use of much larger areas than we expected, sometimes moving many kilometers in only a few days!  Click here to get the latest on our turtles' movements.

Tracking these turtles and doing habitat analysis allows us to map critical habitats and determine the type of management necessary to maintain and recover turtle populations.  Previous studies indicate that critical habitats such as nesting and overwintering sites are small areas that can easily be overlooked or destroyed by other management programs, so this research is essential.

Turtle conservation is everyone's responsibility.  Click here for information on turtle conservation resources or to find out how you can help.