Reducing Road Mortality

Turtle Guardians has worked with EcoKare International and Scales Nature Park, and with the support of Environment Canada and Climate Change through the Community Nominated Priority Place Program, as well as the Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative, Ganewenim Mshkiikii to advance turtle recovery by reducing road mortality.

We have worked and continue to work towards solutions and partnerships. Our actions to date:

1. We have recruited over 700 volunteers like you across Ontario to monitor roads and spread awareness at the same time!
2. We have monitored roads, mapped the data, and identified hotspots to assess for installing ecopassages or directive fencing, and of course, signs
3. We have worked with municipalities to install signs where needed
4. We have designed and installed large billboards in hotspots for turtle mortality in Cottage Country
5. We are making and testing ecopassages; Specifically an affordable style of "jump outs" (half cut welded steel barrels that prevent turtles from getting onto the road, but which also allow any animal that is caught on the road can also escape the road), and these jump out sections are easily connected to special fencing that then directs turtles to larger culverts under roads, so the turtles can reach the other side safely.
6. Are currently with municipalities to design alternative nesting mounds in conjunction with directive fencing and ecopassages.
7. Have held conferences and workshops to help municipalities and experts design mitigation solutions; to help them design, procure and maintain ecopassages.
8. We also work with municipalities and volunteers to install nest cage protectors where needed and which are continually monitored to support hatchling success.
9. We work under the direction of esteemed partners of Scales Nature Park, to help turtle populations by excavating and incubating eggs, and releasing hatchlings back to the nest site.
10. We work with the community teach people how to carry snapping turtles, swim with snappers and help all Ontario turtles