DON'T RELOCATE TURTLES

DON'T RELOCATE TURTLES

Turtles are determined creatures, and if removed from their home range, they will unceasingly try to find their way back home. The reason for bringing this up is that relocating turtles comes up a lot. It stems from people with the best intentions of relocating turtles to their "version" of a better location. We love that folks care about the turtles, but when it comes to moving turtles, it is essential to move turtles across the road and to have a safe distance away from the road in the direction the turtle was headed. Relocating a turtle to a wetlands 10 km from where the turtle was situated or to a friend's pond without meaning to can turn a turtle's world upside down. Turtles are creatures of habit and do not cope well with being relocated. A turtle that has been relocated will be stressed and at such a disadvantage in a new environment. They must find food and water and negotiate in unfamiliar territory. Turtles unable to find their way home may stop eating, fall ill, and even die. 

We understand your desire to assist these remarkable creatures. Turtles, with a history spanning over 200 million years, are truly awe-inspiring. They possess a deep understanding of their environment, and their movements, both on land and in water, are purposeful and well-calculated.

REASONS FOR CONCERN

Where a turtle is located is because it meets the habitat needs of that turtle and has a role in supporting its life cycle and the history that goes along with that. Turtles have several different habitats within their home range. This includes:

Overwintering habitat (which can be very specific).

Nesting habitat.

Active season habitat (feeding and breeding).

Moving a turtle to a location of our choice can significantly impact the turtle and its resident population.

Every turtle carries a signature bacteria specific to the water body they inhabited until they were moved. A turtle introduced into a different water body can be a host or vector for pathogens, parasites, or diseases (like any plant or animal). This could upset the ecosystem balance associated with that water body and affect the aquatic wildlife, plants (biotic/abiotic), micro-organisms in that body of water, and us. If compromised, a body of water's health can result in recreational water illnesses such as giardiasis (intestinal infection) or cryptosporidiosis (diarrheal disease) and waterborne parasites that affect people (swimmers itch) and beloved pets. Other considerations when relocating a turtle include the effect on the gene pool and the risk of spreading ranavirus between ecosystems, should this be a factor. 

The hazards of introducing pathogens, parasites, and disease into an otherwise healthy ecosystem are of such a concern that the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, home of Ontario's Turtle Hospital, requests the 'point of origin' when a turtle is admitted to the OTCC. The 'point of origin' refers to where the turtle was found. This information is crucial as it helps us understand the turtle's natural habitat and ensures it can be released back into its original environment. When a turtle is treated, recovered, and deemed fit to be released back into the wild, it will be released at its original origin. If, for some reason, the point of origin is not supplied, the OTCC will not risk releasing the turtles into another water body as a precaution, and that isn't fair to a healthy turtle that, after that, may end up a teaching turtle. 

RESIST THE URGE

Most people know not to plunk a turtle on or near the road shoulder after moving it off the road but to walk it a few steps further to ensure it is safely away from the road. 

Under the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, turtles, a species at risk, cannot be moved more than '200 meters' if in harm's way. This act is designed to protect wildlife and their habitats. In almost all cases, moving a turtle safely off the road and ensuring they are situated a distance away from the road would be well within 200 meters. If you feel a turtle is still in harm's way, having walked the maximum allowable distance, please get in touch with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to speak with a Conservation Officer. On average, it would take an adult approximately 1 - 2 minutes to travel 100 meters, depending on their walking speed. If you walked more than 4 minutes, you would be beyond the maximum distance a turtle can be moved. We are looking out for our friends when we tell you that moving a turtle beyond 200 meters is considered poaching and subject to monetary fines that can reach up to $25,000. Please do not relocate turtles. Turtles need our help but in ways that will not jeopardize their well-being, albeit unintentionally. 

If you have any questions or concerns about a turtle or nest, please phone or text Think Turtle Conservation Initiative at 647-606-9537 when you are with the turtle or nest. For additional information about helping turtles, we have a variety of platforms for you to choose from—check out our other web pages at www.thinkturtle.ca, follow us on Facebook, or read our WordPress Blog posts at https://thinkturtleconservationinitiative.wordpress.com.  

Thank you for being a friend to the turtles and helping protect Ontario's at-risk species and their habitat.