This marks the third year of our Carp Hills area 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.