• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Turtle Guardians

  • SHOP
  • DONATE

Mobile Menu

  • About Us
    • Why Save Turtles?
    • Who Are Turtle Guardians?
    • What Do Turtle Guardians Do?
      • Level 1: Turtle ID & Turtle Camp
      • Level 2: Wetland Monitoring & Turtle Nest Protection
      • Level 3: Road Research, Turtle Tunnels & Conservation
      • Level 4 & 5: Science Permits
      • Become a Turtle Guardian
    • Our Partners & Supporters
    • Turtle Guardian Program Evaluation
    • The Land Between: Ontario’s Turtle Country
    • Contact Us
  • Turtle Conservation
    • Why Turtles Matter
    • So you found a turtle…
    • Watching for Turtles
    • Turtle Nesting
    • Helping Hatchlings
    • 10 Ways to Help Turtles
    • Helping a Turtle Across the Road
    • Deliberate Harm to Turtles & Habitats
    • Snapping Turtles & Your Lake
    • Helping Turtles Around Your Property
    • Reducing Road Mortality
    • Turtle Recovery Campaign
      • T5 Campaign
  • Learning Resources
    • Turtle Facts
    • Turtle Identification
      • Parts of a Turtle
      • Blanding’s Turtle
      • Map Turtle
      • Painted Turtle
      • Snapping Turtle
      • Spiny Softshell Turtle
      • Spotted Turtle
      • Stinkpot Turtle/Musk Turtle
      • Wood Turtle
    • Turtle ID Quiz
    • Turtle Habitats
      • Lakes & Rivers
      • Ponds & Marshes
      • Swamps & Carrs
      • Bogs & Fens
    • School Curriculums
      • Turtle Guardians Curricula Videos
      • Intermediate (Grades 7-8)
      • Junior (Grades 4-6)
      • Primary (K-3) Grades
      • The Turtle Stories Platform
    • Scientific Research
    • Reducing Road Mortality
  • Volunteer
    • Become a Turtle Guardian
      • Turtle ID Quiz
    • Turtle Crossing Guards
    • Road Researchers
    • Nest Sitters
    • Wetland Watchers
    • Turtle Tunnel Assessors
  • Other Ways You Can Help
    • Donate
    • Shop
    • Report A Sighting
      • Volunteer Reporting Forms
      • Public Sighting Report Form
      • Record of Elders
      • iNaturalist
  • Member login
  •  
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • About Us
    • Why Save Turtles?
    • Who Are Turtle Guardians?
    • What Do Turtle Guardians Do?
      • Level 1: Turtle ID & Turtle Camp
      • Level 2: Wetland Monitoring & Turtle Nest Protection
      • Level 3: Road Research, Turtle Tunnels & Conservation
      • Level 4 & 5: Science Permits
      • Become a Turtle Guardian
    • Our Partners & Supporters
    • Turtle Guardian Program Evaluation
    • The Land Between: Ontario’s Turtle Country
    • Contact Us
  • Turtle Conservation
    • Why Turtles Matter
    • So you found a turtle…
    • Watching for Turtles
    • Turtle Nesting
    • Helping Hatchlings
    • 10 Ways to Help Turtles
    • Helping a Turtle Across the Road
    • Deliberate Harm to Turtles & Habitats
    • Snapping Turtles & Your Lake
    • Helping Turtles Around Your Property
    • Reducing Road Mortality
    • Turtle Recovery Campaign
      • T5 Campaign
  • Learning Resources
    • Turtle Facts
    • Turtle Identification
      • Parts of a Turtle
      • Blanding’s Turtle
      • Map Turtle
      • Painted Turtle
      • Snapping Turtle
      • Spiny Softshell Turtle
      • Spotted Turtle
      • Stinkpot Turtle/Musk Turtle
      • Wood Turtle
    • Turtle ID Quiz
    • Turtle Habitats
      • Lakes & Rivers
      • Ponds & Marshes
      • Swamps & Carrs
      • Bogs & Fens
    • School Curriculums
      • Turtle Guardians Curricula Videos
      • Intermediate (Grades 7-8)
      • Junior (Grades 4-6)
      • Primary (K-3) Grades
      • The Turtle Stories Platform
    • Scientific Research
    • Reducing Road Mortality
  • Volunteer
    • Become a Turtle Guardian
      • Turtle ID Quiz
    • Turtle Crossing Guards
    • Road Researchers
    • Nest Sitters
    • Wetland Watchers
    • Turtle Tunnel Assessors
  • Other Ways You Can Help
    • Donate
    • Shop
    • Report A Sighting
      • Volunteer Reporting Forms
      • Public Sighting Report Form
      • Record of Elders
      • iNaturalist
  • Member login
  •  

Harming Turtles Carries Fines

April 11, 2022 Leave a Comment

DYK- ALL TURTLES IN ONTARIO ARE PROTECTED UNDER LAW

All turtles in Ontario are protected under legislation. Turtle populations are at risk of extinction and are considered “Species at Risk” in Canada, which means each turtle is important to maintain populations. Turtles are protected under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Endangered Species Act, the federal Species at Risk Act, and turtle habitats may also be protected under these pieces of legislation as well as municipal laws in most jurisdictions.

Direct harm to a turtle and also to their habitat features can carry fines of up to $25,000 or one year in jail.  If someone kills a turtle, removes it from the wild or removes turtle eggs; or if someone buys or sells a turtle or their eggs, fines can be as much as $100,000.

If you witness a turtle being harmed, or if you see evidence of poaching, take pictures or videos of the incident if possible and if it is safe to do so. It is helpful to have proof of the harm or which documents the intent to harm a turtle, and therefore pictures or video footage can be vital to a case.

On roads it may be difficult to avoid turtles, however, if you see a vehicle swerve to hit a turtle that is on a yellow or white line, or a turtle on the road shoulder,, or if there are few vehicles on the road and the car has ample opportunity but still doesn’t avoid the turtle, these situations can be evidence of intentional harm. In these cases, get the license plate of the vehicle involved.

At the time of the incident, call 911, or if you have evidence of an infraction but are not on the scene, you can call Ontario’s conservation officers at 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667). If you wish to remain anonymous, you can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Please remember to be cautious and do not approach if you feel unsafe. Also do not trespass on private property to gather evidence. Instead call one of the hotline numbers and stay turtley cool and turtley safe too!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « A Scary Future for Ontario’s Turtles
Next Post: Reptile Declines Worldwide »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • How to Help Turtles
  • Learning Resources
  • Contact

Our Partners

Join Us at Turtle Stories

Contact Turtle Guardians by calling 705-457-1222 or texting 705-854-2888

Copyright © 2023 Turtle Guardians · Email Us · Privacy Policy

Site Development by TechnicalitiesPlus Inc.

 

Loading Comments...