Conservation authority works to save endangered spiny soft shell turtle
It’s an all-out effort to rescue one of southern Ontario’s most endangered species.
The eastern spiny soft shell turtle is at imminent risk of extinction, but staff from the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) have been busy with a capture and release program along the Sydenham River, which runs through Lambton and part of Middlesex County.
“I think they're just considering their options trying to find the perfect spot, and they'll probably be back later in the day,” said Sarah Snetsinger, a watershed biologist with the SCRCA. She was sitting on a hill, observing female turtles along the riverbank.
“They're always looking for that really gravelly, sandy place to lay their eggs where it's not too steep. The spot here is pretty flat, kind of like a beach,” she said.
Sarah Snetsinger, a watershed biologist with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority on June 1, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)Staff from the SCRCA have been busy keeping close watch on select locations along the river.
Director of Biology Erin Carrol said they’re waiting for the turtles to lay eggs, which they will collect, then take to a lab for incubation.
“When I release those hatchlings that I've collected I know that they had no chance of survival without intervention, like next to none,” Carrol explained. “In the wild they would have been predated by raccoons or other mammals, so for me it gives me a great deal of personal fulfillment to be able to give them a little bit of a helping chance.”
It's estimated that there are only about 1,000 adult members of the species left in all of Canada. The Sydenham River is one of only a few places in Ontario where eastern spiny softshell turtle is known to nest.
The ‘Captive Hatch and Release’ program is part of the SCRCA’s recovery efforts for the species.
“There's quite a few different threats that are affecting the species, from habitat degradation, so loss of that habitat that they need to survive, as well as poaching,” said Kelli Smith, a watershed biologist with the SCRCA.
Smith said the rare turtles have been illegally collected for the pet trade, or even eaten as a delicacy — which is why they’ve asked CTV News not to disclose the location of this nesting site.
The turtles will lay eggs throughout the month of June. Incubation in the lab lasts about 60 days, before they’re sent back into the wild to fend for themselves.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.