This marks the third year of our turtle conservation program in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF).

Using lessons learned from our last two years, we have modified the monitoring project. We will have one person driving the roads with a focus on Blanding's turtles, whose populations are particularly threatened. Snapping turtle nests will also be protected.

Our neighbourhood Turtle Champion program will continue like last year focused on areas in and around the Carp Hills and Carp River where travelling turtles and their nests need protection. Volunteers take training and become the point of contact in their neighbourhood for laying turtles.

Fresh water turtle biologist David Seburn and CWF staff will collect and incubate eggs of Blanding's turtles and other turtle species whose nests cannot be adequately protected. Hatchlings from incubated eggs will be released in a wetland or pond near their nest's location in late summer.

The Carp Hills are home to three turtle species: Blanding's turtle (Threatened), Snapping turtle (Special concern), and the Midland Painted turtle.

You read our 2023 turtle conservation report on our web site: It takes a village: over 300 turtle hatchlings saved.

Sadly our first observation for this season is a dead juvenile Blanding's turtle on a road where turtle fencing is installed.

Our 2023 turtle conservation project statistics are finalized.

Blanding's turtles.
• Due to their Endangered status, all Blanding's turtle eggs were collected.
• CWF collected 80 eggs from 7 nests that were protected in the Carp Hills and Dunrobin areas from 10 June through 26 June by FCH monitors and neighbourhood champions.
• CWF incubated the 80 eggs at their facility in Kanata.
• 74 eggs successfully hatched (93% success).
• From 13 August to 25 August we released the 74 hatchlings in ponds close to their original nest location.
• 15 Blanding's turtles were found dead on roads in the Carp Hills and Dunrobin areas in June.

• 7 of these were females containing unlaid eggs.
• 13 of the eggs were considered viable and sent to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough for incubation. The OTCC will raise the hatchlings from these eggs for one year. They will be released near their original nest location in summer 2024.

Snapping turtles.
• Collected eggs.
o CWF collected 37 eggs from 2 nests that were protected in the Carp Hills and Carp River areas on 8 June and 13 June by FCH monitors and neighbourhood champions.
o CWF incubated the 37 eggs at their facility in Kanata.
o 25 eggs successfully hatched.
o On 21 August we released the 25 hatchlings into a pond or the Carp River close to their original nest location.
• Protected nests.
o 17 nest protectors were placed in the Carp Hills, Carp River, and Dunrobin areass from 6 June to 26 June. The protectors were left on the nests for the eggs to incubate naturally.
o We have data from 16 protected nests:

• We excavated the protected nests in September through 2 November to determine the success rate.
• 14 nests had evidence of eggs. 364 eggs were protected. Of these, 259 successfully hatched (71% success).
• Of the 259 that successfully hatched, there were 27 live hatchlings found still in the nests. The hatchlings were released near their nest location.
• There were 6 dead hatchlings found still in the nests.
• 1 protector looked like it had been moved. No nest found. Status of original nest location unknown.
• 1 protector was either hit by a car or vandalized. No nest found.
• 1 small, very young Snapping turtle was found dead on the road in June.
• 15 viable eggs from a predated nest were sent to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough for incubation. The OTCC will raise the hatchlings from these eggs for one year. They will be released near their original nest location in summer 2024.

Many thanks to our Turtle Monitors (Rachel, Ian, Jennifer, and Carole) who drove roads morning, evening, and in the dark of night to find turtles who needed help. Thanks to our Turtle Champions (Helen, Jeff, John, Bernard) for their work mobilizing their neighbours to protect turtles. Heartfelt gratitude to Dave Seburn and staff at the Canadian Wildlife Federation for their turtle conservation work in the Ottawa and surrounding areas. And a big thanks to the Bell family for their donation that made this project possible. You are making a difference.

On 25 August, Friends of the Carp Hills released the last 23 Blanding's turtle hatchlings, which were collected in the Carp Hills and incubated by the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

Our 2023 turtle conservation program was made possible by a grant from the Bell family. We worked in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation's turtle conservation program. We thank biologist Dave Seburn and staff for their dedication.

In total we released 74 Blanding's, 25 Snapping, and 3 Painted turtle hatchlings in the Carp Hills.
In addition, 23 Blanding's turtle eggs were collected from roadkill turtles and sent to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough for incubation. They will be released next year.

Now we await the hatching of eggs under nest protectors. Stay tuned!

The Carp Hills area turtle conservation project started monitoring on 3 June with three observations: one Snapping turtle and two Blanding's turtles.

Our four monitors are driving specified roads and walking specified areas looking for nesting turtles in order to protect the eggs from predation.

Friends of the Carp Hills are working with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, who provided training for the monitors.