What the Phrag? All You Need to Know About Invasive Phragmites

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Phragmites australis australis, otherwise known as European Common Reed or Invasive Phragmites, is a fast-spreading, perennial aquatic grass found growing in wetlands, shorelines and roadside ditches. This aggressive plant crushes biodiversity by outcompeting our native plants. In 2005, Invasive Phragmites was named Canada’s worst invasive plant species by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.

What Does It Look Like?

Invasive Phragmites is a tall (up to 5 meters), densely growing grass. It has broad, flat, blue-green leaves and purple-yellow plumes (flowers) that grow on the end of each stalk. Stalks produced in previous years are brown-yellow and stay standing for many years after they die. For more information on how to identify Invasive Phragmites, as well as information on how to distinguish Invasive Phragmites from the closely related native Phragmites, visit the Phrag Fighter page of our website and watch the Invasive Phragmites Surveying webinar.

Where Is It Found?

Invasive Phragmites can be found all across Ontario, with stands reported as far north as Sudbury. Check out this EDDMapS Ontario map for a snapshot of its distribution across Ontario (and the rest of North America).

How Does It Spread?

According to the NCC, Invasive Phragmites spread by nearly 30% between 2010 and 2017 in Ontario. This figure is likely an underestimate, as Phragmites stands are known to be underreported in regions such as The Land Between.

Invasive Phragmites spreads easily to new areas through both seed (2000+ seeds per flower) and rhizome (underground horizontal stem) fragment dispersal (Short et al. 2017). The plant’s rhizomes often become damaged as a result of improper maintenance techniques. The fragments are then spread by the wind, animals, or human movement (cars, shoes, etc.).

New stands of Invasive Phragmites often establish first in disturbed areas such as roadside ditches or recent construction sites, and then spread quickly into nearby, less disturbed areas such as lake shorelines and wetlands (Short et al. 2017).

Why is it a Problem?

Invasive Phragmites is a problem for several reasons.

First, it has detrimental impacts on biodiversity and the natural environment. Establishment of the invasive grass in an area often results in the elimination of most other plant, animal and insect species. The aggressive plant outcompetes most all native plants, producing dense stands that make areas completely unsuitable for the turtles, amphibians, birds and other animals that depend on beech, wetland and shoreline habitats.

Further, the rhizomes (root systems), which account for the majority of the mass of the plant (up to 80%), can grow to be so large and so dense that they block water channels, and slow or redirect runoff, increasing the risk of flooding in some areas (Short et al. 2017)

Invasive Phragmites also poses a significant threat to human health and well-being. Able to grow as tall as 5 meters, Invasive Phragmites can block driver site lines along roadways, and ruin aesthetic lakefront views. The plant can also grow to be so dense that it blocks waterfront access, impeding recreational activities such as boating, swimming and fishing. It also has a significant impact on the economy, with Ontario municipalities collectively spending an average of nearly $3 million per year on Invasive Phragmites management (Vyn 2019).

How Can You Help?

Invasive Phragmites is an undeniable threat, and we here at The Land Between want to do everything in our power to minimize the devastating effects of this invasive species in our region. But we need your help.

Phrag Fighters is a volunteer community science program designed to collect information on where stands of Invasive Phragmites are located across The Land Between, and to remove select stands using manual, accessible methods. By registering as a Phrag Fighter, you will be part of an amazing team of volunteers dedicated to protecting their home, or home away from home, from Invasive Phragmites.

What’s Involved?

The Phrag Fighter program has two parts: Surveying and Removal. Surveying involves reporting and mapping Phragmites stands in an assigned area of The Land Between using either the EDDMapS Ontario mobile app, or provided field sheets. Removal involves cutting one or more stands of Phragmites (according to the specific technique), and properly disposing of the stalks. Each stand will be cut three times throughout the season, once per month from June to August. You can choose to participate in surveying, removal, or both!

Sound like this might be for you? Visit our website to find out more about the Phrag Fighter program or to register as a volunteer. Once you are registered, you can sign up for one of our live, online training webinars. Dates and details are available here.

Sources:

https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/ontario/our-work/stewardship/fighting-phragmites.html#:~:text=Other%20areas%20at%20risk,cent%20between%202010%20and%202017.&text=In%202017%2C%20over%2020%2C000%20square,on%20conservation%20and%20private%20land

 

https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Final-Report-2019-Survey-Results-No-Appendix-A.pdf

https://www.opwg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Summer-2017-Phrag-Research-Report-Humber.compressed.pdf

 

Bridging Communities Through Experiences with Public Art and Nature

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Since the beginning of human record, people have been creating artwork based on their natural surroundings. From cave paintings of wild animals to complexly rendered landscape paintings, we have explored our long and dynamic relationship with land, plants and wildlife. There seems to be no end to our revelry for the beauty of a sunset or the power of a tiger. We are connected to place often through nature and wildlife and our experiences of them.  Artistically expressing the beauty of nature gives everyone something to be see and be excited about. But could art do more for humans and wildlife than visual stimulation and celebration? How can wildlife and public art create stronger communities?

For several years, I have been painting murals across Ontario, working with communities to foster local pride with artwork that reflects local history, stories and ecology. Painting a mural is performative work. As my team and I paint, we are often (happily) interrupted by onlookers who wish to express their joy and wonder about our work. Locals pass by and want to share their stories and experiences in the neighbourhood as well as their passion for art. These exchanges should never be taken for granted. As a community comes together to share, relationships and connections are made over two commonalities: the artwork, and the place. The experience of sharing their story and watching the work evolve leads to a sense of ownership and participation that connects people to the work, deepening the connection to place and community. Public murals reach audiences beyond the art galleries and the sometimes “superior” air that accompanies “high art”. Murals are for everyone and they present messages to all who see them.

My murals aim to beautify and unite communities.  I have painted everything from folklore dragons in Chinatown, to historical stories of colonialism in Port Union. Also, I restore murals. After preparing the surface to restore a 20-year-old heritage mural, I can testify to value of a mural in a community, because as the old, peeling paint is scraped away, those passing by begin to frantically ask questions…”You’re not painting over this are you?”  “What is happening here?!” The relief when I explain otherwise, is evident and often followed by expressions of gratitude: “It’s my favourite stop on this street…I walk past it every day to work”.

Like the murals that draw people in, natural spaces also unite communities with a positive bond.  The happy spaces of the wild draw people of all walks of life. Like art, we can experience a range of emotions amidst wild spaces; from peace and tranquility to a rush of excitement. The sights and colours in the wild areas are a gateway to a deeply personal experience.  The memory of a hike includes the physical labour, the act of discovery, the time shared with others or the insight gained from the experience. Nature is enjoyed by a larger spectrum of senses than the eyes; and the memory of the experience is what ties us to a place.

Therefore, both individually and better together, art and nature can unite people by connecting them to the land, wildlife, community, and memories to create a shared sense of belonging. The key factor behind the creation of community is shared experience. Each community is unique. It is critical that people understand and celebrate their distinctiveness.

As I developed the Turtle Guardians mural in Haliburton, the positive community impacts were evident before the mural had even been completed. As people joined together over coffee and lunch at Baked and Battered, dozens of people stopped daily to talk with me about the large snapping turtle I was painting on the side of the restaurant. They shared with me their experiences with turtles, where they live, their love for wildlife and the Haliburton area. The mural was joining community members together by sharing stories and common experiences. As they watch the mural develop, and chat with me, they become a part of the process. They share a piece of the monument. Having learned a thing or two about the gentleness and vulnerability of snapping turtles, many were eager to become more involved with the turtle and habitat conservation efforts by the Turtle Guardians program of the Land Between charity. The painting had sparked the interest of nature lovers to engage further with wildlife and their local community. However, a bigger win was the consideration and new perspectives that were generated from the process and painting; individuals who previously misunderstood snapping turtles as dangerous or worthless, now saw them in their true light as iconic invaluable animals. The mural serves to illustrate and testify that wildlife and community are one in the same; that both are dependent on people working to preserve these assets.

 

Article and Artwork by Stacey Kinder

New Children’s Book to Save Turtles_ Never Give Up_ Now in Ojibwa and English

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This past December, an Ojibwe translation of a popular children's’ book about a young boy helping turtles safely cross a busy road has been published by the Long Point Biosphere Reserve (LPBR).  The translation was a collaboration with the Ojibwe-speaking Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose Treaty Lands and traditional territory include the LPBR.

Entitled “Kaa Wiika Boontaake” (“Never Give Up”), the colorful book tells the story of little Johnny’s determination to protect his friend “Snapper” and other turtles from heavy traffic.  Written and illustrated by Long Point cottager Jan Everett, the story is based on her husband John’s efforts to save turtles along the Long Point Causeway, the unofficial gateway to the LPBR.

“Recognizing the significance of the turtle in Indigenous culture, we approached the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN) to help us translate the book into Anishinaabemowin, the common language of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Pottawatomi peoples of the Three Fires Confederacy”, said LPBR president Rick Levick. An Ojibwe First Nation, the Mississaugas of the Credit have been allied to this Confederacy for more than 200 years.

The translation was done by James “Mawla” Shawana (Odawa/Pottawatomi from Wiikwemkoong First Nation), a language teacher at the Lloyd S. King Elementary School in the MCFN community near Hagersville, Ontario for the past 12 years.

“The Mississaugas of the Credit would like to thank the Long Point Biosphere Reserve for reaching out to our First Nation”, said Chief R. Stacey Laforme. “Our shared collaboration will allow students at the elementary school in our community to enjoy a special experience -- reading this popular children’s book in Anishinaabemowin.”

Chief Laforme added, “Collaborations such as these are small but important steps on the journey of reconciliation, miigwech (thank you).”

Since 2014, more than 3,500 English and French copies of the book have been sold with the proceeds supporting on-going maintenance of exclusion fencing and wildlife culverts that were installed along the Causeway to reduce road mortality of turtles and snakes including several Species at Risk.

“The story of Johnny and Snapper parallels the 10-year, $2.7 million effort by the Long Point community that reduced reptile deaths on the Causeway by nearly 80 per cent”, said Levick.  Details about this effort and the role of the LPBR are included in English at the end of the book.

Never Give Up was translated in 2019, the International Year of Indigenous Languages but publication was delayed due to the COVID 19 outbreak.

“We are honoured that our book "Never Give Up" can now be enjoyed in Anishinaabemowin. This truly is a book for children of all ages”, said author Jan Everett and husband John.

 

Plans are underway to launch the book with a virtual reading by author Jan Everett and translator James Shawana to the students of Lloyd S. King Elementary School.

The LPBR will be distributing free copies of Kaa Wiika Boontaake to other Anishinaabe communities across Ontario and offering it for sale at www.longpointbiosphere.com.

The Long Point Biosphere Reserve promotes research, monitoring, community outreach and education, partnerships, and projects that support the goals of biodiversity, conservation and sustainable communities in Norfolk County. We exchange information and work collaboratively with the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association, as well as other biosphere reserves in Canada and around the world.

 

The Mississaugas of the Credit are an Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) First Nation with 2,600 band members, of whom approximately 800 live on the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation near Hagersville, Ontario. For more information please visit www.mncfn.ca.

 

Never Give Up is now available in the Turtle Guardians online store!

 

 

Jeremiah is on the Move!

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You may have met her at Turtle Camp or during a tour of the Turtle HQ- Jeremiah is our skateboarding turtle! Jeremiah- who we originally thought was a boy and later discovered was not- was injured on a road when a car decided it would be safe if she went under the carriage, straddled by the tires. Alas snapping turtles cannot tuck in and hide like other turtles, and so, when they are scared, they snap in defense. Jeremiah therefore lost a part of her beak. Also she either jumped or the carriage was too low and her carapace was crushed. Because a turtles' top shell is fused to their spine (it is actually a part of their spine) Jeremiah's back legs were left paralyzed. Luckily, reptiles have remarkable healing abilities and can regrow nerve tissue. And luckily, Dr. Sue Carstairs of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, knew that Jeremiah had a strong will to live. Sue offered us the option of adopting Jer- and happily we did! After four years of physiotherapy Jeremiah began to move her back legs.  Then, at turtle camp, a lovely camper donated a skateboard, and Jer got to go for a ride three times a week to trigger "muscle memory". Another year has passed and slowly Jer's back leg movement has improved. They are far from articulated or strong, but today, for the first time that we have seen it, Jeremiah began climbing in her pond. Way to go Jeremiah!! Watch her go here!

Jer, we hope to witness you walking in our future.

Our Journey Continues! – Designing a Turtle Tunnel

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Turtles like to feel safe. They feel safe in warm and wet conditions. They also like to cross roads in the same general area they used the year before- most often these areas are between two wetlands or aquatic habitats. Sometimes the wetlands that border roadways need free-flowing drainage between them in order that roads do not flood, therefore, culverts are installed between them. These are the sites- where culverts exist between two wetlands- that we may be able to direct turtles safely under roads and through the culverts! This solution is called  an underpass, or as we like to call  it; a turtle tunnel.

How to direct a turtle under a tunnel?

Directing turtles is not easy, because they are intimidated by tunnels, and because they will resist moving off course at any significant distance. However, we can point to a few key design features to explain how turtle tunnels are chosen and structured. A successful design will has these basic requirements: First, the culvert has to be quite large; at least 1 metre in diameter. Also, the culvert cannot be blocked or completely flooded or too long either. This is because turtles need to see enough light at the other end to feel safe enough to go through the tunnel. Secondly,  the wetland needs to be free from interruptions such as driveways or small hills and upland areas that meet the  roads- this is because the wetlands need to be fenced off entirely and completely. Turtles will look for alternatives before going through an underground tunnel, and will look to areas that they can "jump out". Therefore, a driveway or island in the middle of a wetland or the edge of the aquatic habitat are tempting and easy alternatives for them to choose rather than going through a relatively dark tunnel. Finally, and as a precaution, fencing should be set back far enough from the road, or should be designed in such a way that it will not restrict turtles or other wildlife that find their way onto the road, from getting off the road! This simply ensures that any design failures will not result in further harm to wildlife- especially to our slow moving friends.

Choosing Wisely

This safety measure is one of the many reasons we have chosen an arch shape fence that can be installed below grade (below the level of the road), and can be backfilled so that it is flush with the area above it, or entirely invisible  and permeable to wildlife that are on the roads. Even snakes should be able to escape the pavement with these designs! The other reason we have chosen an arched or concave shape solution is because this shape is extremely strong and durable, resisting heavy loads. Finally, the arch shape at 1m diameter/width prevents even large snapping turtles from successfully climbing the barrier- and turtles are amazing climbers!
We are also experimenting with new materials! Traditional arched turtle fencing is made from a large pvc pipe and is all one long piece that requires installation. The pipe itself is expensive, and the installation requires heavy equipment and levels to set it just right, increasing the cost to at least $20/metre. This means turtle underpasses of this sort in The Land Between bioregion, with smaller wetlands, can cost at anywhere from $10,000.00 for each site alone. With over 970 potential tunnel (culvert crossing) sites on county roads in the region, the cost would be extremely high!

Our Pilot Solution in Progress

Therefore, we are innovating! We have sourced food-grade steel drums. These are durable, weldable, less expensive, and they can be put in one by one, by hand or with smaller equipment. We are going to test this design this winter to see how it fairs in snow conditions and if it stays in place with frost heave. This solution is not only less expensive for materials and installation at only $8.00/metre after painting and welding, but the design is more easy to maintain and manage, and it is a form of recycling! The difference in cost is in labour however; there is a lot of preparation that is required to get the drums/barrels ready for installation- but with great staff and volunteers, the work load is lighter and the cost can be reduced.

This fall we have been busy preparing for our pilot testing! We have assessed potential tunnel sites; designed the solution (and with engineering review); sourced materials; cut, grinded, and painted the cut drums, and recently we have been welding different parts together to make sure that the structure will be stable when installed.

Near the end of this last September, Garry Mercer Trucking generously delivered over 143, 55 Gallon steel drums from So Soya in Toronto to our work area at Highlanders Auto Body in Minden. Throughout the following weeks afterwards, our staff worked tirelessly to remove the tops and bottoms (creating a sort of steel tube), and then halved the steel "tube" vertically, creating two steel "half-pipes". These "C" shaped drums were then transported to our office in Haliburton, where we grounded the edges smooth and painted the bare metal parts to prevent rusting. The hard labor was finally done! Or so we thought...

In comes Taylor, a Turtle Hero in the form of a welder. Taylor is welding the tops and bottoms of the steel drums to the base of the "C" drums to provide a footing, and then welding a piece of rebar to the back to provide stability (see the picture above of a completed drum).

Once all of the welding has been complete, the turtle tunnels are ready to install! We hope that within the next three weeks, if the ground has not frozen, we will install them. If the design is stable and effective, it will be a new way forward for cost effective turtle passage solutions in Ontario. Stay tuned as we move this project forward. 

Creating and installing these Turtle Tunnels is hard work, and couldn't be done without the support of our amazing staff, volunteers and donors.
All donations and also proceeds from our gift shop go towards ensuring work like this continues to conserve our amazing turtles.
If you would like to volunteer to help install the tunnel, or would like to donate to help fund it's installation and more like it, please visit our website or contact us at info@turtleguardians.com 

On behalf of all turtles and animals saved through our conservation efforts, we thank you for your continued support!

It’s Hatchling Season!!!

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Here at the Land Between Charity, a.k.a. Turtle Guardians head quarters, we have welcomed our first baby turtles, “hatchlings”!! The first babies to hatch in our incubator were Painted Turtles in early August! Since then we have welcomed some more Painted Turtles, many Snapping Turtles and some precious Blanding’s Turtles. Here are some photos of our hatchlings:

Where did all these eggs come from? Earlier this year in from June-July, the Land Between / Turtle Guardians staff were very busy patrolling the roads of Haliburton Country and Peterborough for nesting turtles. When we were lucky enough to find nests far off the road and road shoulder, we could install wire nest protector cages to keep them safe from hungry predators like skunks and racoons. However, most of the nests we found were laid close to the road and road shoulder, and in these cases we carefully dug up the eggs to incubate them over the summer and release them after hatching. When nests are too close to the road, nest protector cages can’t be used because a vehicle could drive over it and get damaged.

We were very lucky to get special training and then permission from OMNR and OMECP to carry out our nest excavations and egg incubation this summer. It is illegal to dig up turtle eggs of any species in Ontario without a government issued permit.

Our staff went through special training from our partners at Scales Nature Park for how to safely dig up eggs, transport them, and care for them during incubation and after hatching. In total we had over 950 eggs in our incubator this summer and 100 Blanding’s Turtle eggs that we excavated were incubated by our partners at Scales Nature Park.

When a turtle first starts to break out of its shell, we say that it is “pipping.” The baby will use its egg tooth to repeatedly peck the egg, and often the first body part to emerge or be visible will be the babies head. So far, we have noticed that this process can take up to 2 days before the hatchling completely emerges from its shell! When they first emerge from the shell they will have their yolk sacs still very visible on their plastrons (belly shell). You can think of their yolk sac sort of like their belly button. This is the place where the growing turtle embryo was attached to the shell when it was still in its egg. We give all our turtle babies the chance to absorb their yolk sacs before releasing them back to the wild. This gives them the chance to gain the nutrients from its yolk, and will make it easier for them to swim and travel when released back into nature.

Hatchlings are always released back in the area where we originally found their nest. We look for the closest shallow water body or wetland with lots of aquatic vegetation and slow or no water flow as the babies are not yet strong swimmers. We will space out the babies so they are not all in one spot and easy for a predator to come and gobble up.

What should you do if you find a hatchling?

Hatchlings from wild nests typically emerge at the end of August and all throughout September – so we could start to see them anytime. If you are lucky enough to find a hatchling you should bring it to the nearest wetland or shallow waterbody. In the case of hatchlings, the rule that applies to other turtles of always moving them in the direction they were travelling does not apply. This is because they have not yet created their mental maps and do not know where they are going. However, to keep populations healthy, and because it is likely that hatchlings have a mental imprint of their nesting site, they should be kept in nature and within 200 metres of where they are found. To give a hatchling its best chance it isn’t enough to simply move them off the road. They are so vulnerable to predation at their small size and can get dehydrated really easily, especially on pavement in the heat of the day. So, it is critical that they are moved to the nearest shallow water amongst lots of aquatic vegetation where they can easily hide and find things to eat. In no way should a hatchling be taken home as a pet as this is illegal, and also taking them out of nature for long periods or away from their native territory may result in difficulty of surviving in nature when reintroduced. Also take pictures and locational information and let us know to help us track populations. But be careful of sharing locations with the public at large because hatchling poaching is on the rise in Ontario. Each turtle and each hatchling in nature gives us hope for the future. Turtles have irreplaceable roles in maintaining biodiversity and all the flora and fauna found in our lakes and wetlands. Be turtley cool and save turtles.

 

 

Our Turtle Mural Takes Shape

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We are so grateful to our amazingly talented staff, Stacey Kinder, for her time in creating a masterpiece of a mural to promote turtle conservation. The mural is on the side of the Baked and Battered cafe and eatery in Haliburton Village. The  mural is of Jeremiah, our female +70 year old skateboarding turtle who was brought to us by the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (home of the Trauma Centre) after she healed from her injuries: Jeremiah was "straddled" by a car - the vehicle driver thought she would be okay if they passed over her with their wheels on either side). But this wasn't the case. First of all, she was too tall and/or the car carriage was too log and Jeremiah's carapace (top-shell) was crushed, leaving her somewhat crippled from the damage and unable to use her back legs. And then she must have been so scared that she tried to snap- and so Jeremiah lost a chunk of her beak so that she would not be able to find food or defend herself in the wild. Every second day we put Jeremiah on her skateboard to give her practice using her legs and to promote muscle-memory- because after four years in physiotherapy she has begun moving those back legs again! Turtles are amazing because they can regrow nerve tissue. It may take many years still before she could possibly walk again. Now Jeremiah is commemorated through Stacey's amazing artwork.

Stacey Kinder is an artist and an ecologist! She has captured the image of Jeremiah in her mural- but the mural is more than simply the image of "Jer": inspired perhaps by the Aanishinabeg Creation story where North America is on a turtle's back, or perhaps too by the fact that turtles help clean water and also spread aquatic seeds so that wetlands and fish nurseries that support so much wildlife will thrive, Jeremiah has an ecosystem of native plants growing on her back.

Stacey spent the summer with us running the roads in search of turtles, to take DNA samples, measurement and help them across safely. She also excavated nests that were in danger of road mortality or predation. This was done under our Wildlife Permit. Stacey has a passion for nature and is able to communicate her heart-felt passion through art, to inspire others! Thank you Stacey for all you do for turtles and nature! And Thank you Jeremiah for sharing your life with us and leaving your mark on our hearts.

Becoming a Turtle Person – My Personal Connection to Turtles through the Turtle Guardian Program

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Written by Sydney Shepherd

I was not a turtle person… no, seriously. Prior to my involvement this summer with the Land Between and Turtle Guardians, my friends and family referred to me as the “Bird Girl”. Everything and anything I did revolved around birds. School projects, volunteering and spare time were all dedicated to birds – oh, and not to mention how often I wiggled fun facts and bird ID into my everyday conversations.

Becoming a bird person was easy.

Bird songs have been the soundtrack to my summers. Listening to bird songs now, I am connected to previous time and place. The elusive namesake sound of Eastern Whip-poor-wills and the unmistakable “who-cooks-for-you” hoot of the Barred Owl bring me back to starry nights camping on Georgian Bay. The abrupt morning squabble of Blue Jays never fails to connect me to groggy-eyed wake-ups in a sweaty nylon tent. This intrinsic connection to birds took over once I reached University and was able to pursue my own passions in academia.

But becoming a turtle person, was hard.

I do not have any childhood stories of turtles to share. I honestly cannot even remember a time that I might have interacted with a turtle in the wild until my later years. Without past connection with turtles, I simply brushed off their importance.

I am so grateful I was welcomed to the Road Research Team with Turtle Guardians. As a recent University Grad, I was ready to get out into the world and experience new things, even if those things were outside of my “bird niche”. Within the first few minutes of my first Road Research shift, I finally gained my turtle connection. Xavier, my team mate for the summer, and I came across a couple who were helping a turtle safely cross at a busy four-way intersection. As we approached the couple, thanking them for being a Turtle Hero, and taking the turtle from them to collect valuable scientific data (https://www.thelandbetween.ca/2020/06/tlb-gathers-2000-turtle-eggs-to-incubate/), I was able to see a Blanding’s Turtle up close. Her bright yellow throat, and almost upturned mouth made me feel the same way I do when I look at Golden Retriever Puppies. I then thought about how vulnerable that turtle was, crossing a four-way intersection with loud and large vehicles passing by. I knew, in that moment, I was becoming a turtle person.

The term “charismatic” can be used to sum up the connection experience (Skibins et al. 2013). Individuals are more likely to care about the conservation of species when we can empathize with their emotions (Skibins et al. 2013). Often, these “charismatic” species we empathize with are large mammals such as the Giant Panda, African Elephants and colourful birds (Skibins et al. 2013). In my experience, freshwater turtles have never been at the forefront of my mind as a charismatic species, but, the moment that Blanding’s Turtle was crossing that four-way intersection, I empathized with her. She became charismatic in my mind, and I hope that everyone has their connection moment with an Ontario Turtle!

If you are interested in connecting your family to turtles check out the Turtle Guardians Program Levels and become Wetland Watchers today!

 

References:

Skibins, Jeffrey C., et al. “Charisma and Conservation: Charismatic Megafauna’s Influence on Safari and Zoo Tourists’ pro-Conservation Behaviors.” Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 22, no. 4, 2013, pp. 959–982., doi:10.1007/s10531-013-0462-z.

 

 

Turtles Know Where They are Going

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If you are familiar with turtles and practiced in the art of helping them across roads, you are probably aware that turtle conservation groups and experts urge rescuers to move turtles across the road in the direction they are facing when found. Why is this? When you find a turtle crossing a road coming from a lush wetland, heading towards a dry rocky outcrop, doesn’t it make the most sense to turn it around and place it back in the wetland? Even though your natural instincts might tell you to turn a travelling turtle around and put them in a more

“turtle-friendly” habitat, this will actually result in the turtle having to cross the road again when they inevitably turn around to head back the way they were going. To understand why turtles will turn back around if you take them off course, you need to know how turtles navigate.

Turtles are excellent navigators within the areas they are familiar with, ie. their “home ranges.” These home ranges include their yearly nesting site (if female), their overwintering grounds, and the wetlands they frequent during their active season. In the early years of their lives turtles will create ‘mental maps’ of their home areas, and it appears that as turtles age they lose this ability to create new mental maps (Caldwell and Nams 2006). Adult turtles tend to rely on their internal compass to navigate through their home range that they know well, and have previously ‘mapped’ (Caldwell and Nams 2006).

There is scientific research that suggests a turtle’s internal compass could be one of two things, or possibly even a combination of both. Turtles could be using the position of the sun in the sky to navigate, or possibly they are able to sense the earth’s magnetic fields; both of these methods would help them know where north is. Scientists have confirmed some Sea Turtle species have magnetite in their brains which allows the animals to sense magnetic fields (Fuentes, et al. 2004). In the case of Ontario freshwater turtle species such as Blanding’s Turtles and Snapping Turtles, researchers have found evidence for both the sun and the magnetic field compass mechanisms (Pappas et al. 2013, Landler et al. 2015, Krentz et al. 2018). More research is needed to determine if both methods are being used by freshwater turtles here, or if some species are using only one.

So what do turtles’ mental maps and internal compasses have to do with always making sure to help them across roads in the direction they are facing? Well, everything! Because turtles are such good navigators, when you find them crossing a road, they are heading some where specific – don’t think for a second they are just wandering or confused!! They know where they are going – even if they are heading somewhere that seems to you like poor turtle habitat.

Ontario turtles are capable of long distance travel over land, and some individuals have very large home ranges with nesting sites far from the wetlands they use during the summer months, which can be separate and further still from the wetland they might use for their overwintering (Pettit et al. 1995, Brown and Brooks 2004). For example, Snapping Turtles in Algonquin Park have been found to travel up to 3.9 km between August and late September when they head back to their overwintering grounds, and can return within 1 m of the exact spot they hibernated the year before (Brown and Brooks 2004). What amazing proof of these superb navigators in action! This helps put into perspective the turtle you might find heading into a forest away from a perfectly good wetland – this turtle could be travelling to another wetland you can’t see via this forest, or potentially their nesting site is a sandy bank along a small creek on the other side of the forest. Who knows? We don’t, but the turtle definitely does.

An important implication of turtles making mental maps of their home ranges when they are young and using their using internal compasses to navigate after this, is that if an adult turtle is relocated far outside their home range it can be very disorienting and stressful. A study done in Nova Scotia with Eastern Painted Turtles (which are closely related to the subspecies of Painted we find here in Ontario - Midland and Western), found that 60 adult turtles removed from their home ranges did not successfully navigate towards water when released in new habitat (Caldwell and Nams 2006). Instead, they travelled in a straight line in one consistent direction after being released until being recaptured at the end of the 24-hour study period. This suggests that when adult freshwater turtles are relocated to a new habitat outside of their home range, they may not be able to imprint on this new area as they did when they were younger with their home range. The adult turtles in this study seemed to follow an internal compass, but without a mental map of the unfamiliar area, they just travelled in one single direction without any way to navigate towards water.

The only exception to the rule of always helping a turtle across the road in the direction they are travelling, is if you are lucky enough to find a hatchling (a.k.a. brand new baby turtle). Ontario turtle hatchlings are usually no bigger than a toonie, and when they first emerge from their nests they will not have a mental map of their surroundings, although their internal compass mechanisms will activate within hours of emerging from the nest (Pappas et al. 2013). Their instincts will guide them to head towards an open horizon, which will hopefully lead them to water (Krenz et al. 2018). So in this one special case, if you find a hatchling on a road or road shoulder, because they do not have a mental map of their surroundings yet, the best spot to move them is actually the closest shallow water body. This water body should ideally have slow moving water (or no flow at all) and lots of aquatic vegetation where they can hide from predators and find things to eat. This could be a flooded road ditch, a small pond, or a grassy bank of a near by marsh. It is important to note that we still don’t want to relocate a hatchling far from where we found it, do not move a hatchling more than 250 m. If you can not see any water within this distance from where you found it, move the hatchling safely far off the road and road shoulder in the direction they were travelling. It is even more important to note that we don’t want you to take the hatchling home. Without the first years spent in nature, the mental map will not be made and the turtle will be lost for all time to navigating the wild. Meanwhile, we are losing too many turtles to road traffic, pet trades, and habitat loss. So, watch out for hatchlings (and adults too) at the end of August and through September (for Snappers and Blanding’s) and when many Painted Turtle hatchlings emerge at the end of May / beginning of June.

 

Written by Meredith Karcz, Conservation Technician

Download this article: turtles know where they are going. M. Karcz

 

 

References

Brown, G.P., and R.J. Brooks. 1994. Characteristics of and fidelity to hibernacula in a northern population of Snapping Turtles, Chelydra serpentina. Copeia 1994(1): 222-226.

Caldwell, I. R., & Nams, V. O. (2006). A compass without a map: tortuosity and orientation of eastern painted turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) released in unfamiliar territory. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 84(8), 1129-1137.

Fuentes, A., Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J., Garduño, V., Sanchez, J., & Rizzi, A. (2004). Magnetite in Black Sea Turtles (Chelonia agassizi). AGUFM, 2004, B21B-0884.

Krenz, J. D., Congdon, J. D., Schlenner, M. A., Pappas, M. J., & Brecke, B. J. (2018). Use of sun compass orientation during natal dispersal in Blanding’s turtles: in situ field experiments with clock-shifting and disruption of magnetoreception. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(11), 177.

Landler, L., Painter, M. S., Youmans, P. W., Hopkins, W. A., & Phillips, J. B. (2015). Spontaneous magnetic alignment by yearling snapping turtles: rapid association of radio frequency dependent pattern of magnetic input with novel surroundings. PLoS One, 10(5), e0124728.

Pappas, M. J., Congdon, J. D., Brecke, B. J., & Freedberg, S. (2013). Orientation of freshwater hatchling Blanding's (Emydoidea blandingii) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) dispersing from experimental nests in agricultural fields. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8(2), 385-399.

Pettit, K.E., C.A. Bishop, and R.J. Brooks. 1995. Home range and movements of the common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina, in a coastal wetland of Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario, Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 109(2): 192- 200.

My Summer Job Experience: Turtle Nest Sitting with Turtle Guardians

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Its mid June in the Land Between. The evening temperature is pleasant, and I might even say I was comfortable sitting in this lawn chair on the side of the highway, if it weren’t for the bugs! Black-flies and mosquitoes swarm my head and unprotected arms. I pull on my trusty bug jacket and settle back into my seat. I’m watching a show that many people have not had the pleasure of seeing; a Blanding’s Turtle is laying her nest. I’m watching her from the other side of the road through my binoculars, ensuring her safety. This is a vulnerable time for her and I am protecting her from oncoming cars. A study in Southern Ontario showed that approximately 2.7% of cars will intentionally aim for reptiles on the road (Ashley et al. 2007). I won’t let that happen to this momma! She rocks slowly back and forth as she works to dig a hole. She has been working for about an hour now. I wonder if she’ll start laying before its dark! Like many other turtles, this mother is very methodical when it comes to nesting.

A gravid (pregnant) turtle will travel as much as 7.5 kilometres to find the perfect spot to lay their eggs, and many will return to the same place year after year (others will travel within 2km of this site over the years) (Congdon et al. 2008). Some Blanding’s Turtles nest as far as 1 kilometre from the nearest water (Congdon et al. 2008). This turtle has chosen to nest in front of a small marsh, but that marsh that sits behind her may not be where she resides the rest of the year.  I wonder how far this lady has traveled today. The traffic on the highway zooms past me. How many roads did she have to cross to get here safely?

I check on the turtle through my binoculars again. Blanding’s Turtles can take up to 2.5 hours to complete the nesting process. To my excitement, there is a change in behaviour! She has finished digging. Her neck slowly extends out, showing off a beautiful yellow colour. Then she tucks her head in. This tells me that she is finally laying eggs! After each egg, she rocks sideways, catching the egg with one leg and placing it carefully into the nest. She will repeat this process, laying on average 10-15 eggs (Ernst et al. 1994).

I am working as part of crew in The Land Between, which, under a special wildlife permit, will research turtles (all of which are disappearing in Ontario), and which will also help give next generations a boost by incubating eggs.

It is nearly dark now, as I watch her lay her eggs. I wait for her to finish, adrenaline building because the next part is the most fun! As she reaches the end of laying, I start to move. I creep through the bushes behind her on my hands and knees. I slowly move up behind her so that I can see her hind legs. I ensure she cannot see me, as the last thing I want to do is spook her off the nest. I have purposefully been watching through my binoculars from a distance up to this point. I watch as she lays her final egg and begins to bury her nest. Before she can, I pick her up, and hand her to my partner who is ready with equipment to take her morphometrics. He will weigh her and take some measurements of her shell. Meanwhile, I get back to the nest. Since I didn’t let her bury her eggs it makes my job much easier. Blanding’s Turtles are very good at camouflaging their nests. I carefully excavate the nest. These eggs will be transported to an incubator where they will be safe from predators such as raccoons and foxes that love to eat them (Harding 1997). They will also be safe from heavy machinery such as graders, as well as environmental damage such as temperature fluctuations and flooding (Riley et al., unpublished data, Edge unpublished data).

We will return the hatchlings to this area when they emerge in 56-133 days (Gillingwater and Brooks 2001). This will protect them from the road where hatchlings are at higher risk for mortality after emerging from roadside nests (Gillingwater 2013). This mother’s legacy will hopefully live on, and all her travelling and hard work will not have been in vain. While we are helping by ensuring that not as many nests are lost and more hatchlings emerge, the recruitment rate (the replacement rate) for adult turtles is still extremely low because only a small fraction (less than 1%) of the hatchlings will survive the masses of predators and find the right conditions to reach adulthood.

We release the tired turtle and watch her saunter into the ditch, and out of sight. I think to myself how lucky I am to have such a rewarding job, bug bites and all!

 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer nest sitter, please visit the volunteer pages of our website for more information.

 

Submitted by Grace Wiley, Conservation Technician

 

 

 

Literature Cited

Ashley, E.P., and J.T. Robinson. 1996. Road mortality of amphibians, reptiles and other wildlife on the Long Point Causeway, Lake Erie, Ontario. Canadian Field Naturalist 110:403-412.

Congdon, J.D., T.E. Graham, T.B. Herman, J.W. Lang, M.J. Pappas, and B.J. Brecke. 2008. Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook 1838) Blanding’s turtle. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, and J.B. Iverson. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 5, pp. 015.1-015.12.

Edge, C.B. Unpublished data.

Ernst, C.H., R.W. Barbour, and J.E. Lovich. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.

Gillingwater, S.D. 2013. Unpublished report submitted to Canadian Wildlife Service. 48 pp.

Gillingwater, S.D., and R.J. Brooks. 2001. A selective herpetofaunal survey, inventory and biological research study of Rondeau Provincial Park. Report to the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Endangered Species Recovery Fund (World Wildlife Fund).

Riley, J., M. Keevil, P. Moldowan and J. Litzgus. Unpublished data.

Harding, J.H. 1997. Amphibians and reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. 378 pp.