Turtles must also stay in the wild to support human health! Turtles provide irreplaceable ecological services and cannot be duplicated by humans: they circulate nutrients, eat dead matter that would otherwise pollute our waters, and they spread water seeds that grow in plants that filter water and provide amazing habitat for fish and aquatic life. No one else can do this job as well as turtles! They are the best guardians and gardeners of our aquatic ecosystems. The province took a bite out of the Snapping Turtle hunt and banned it permanently to give the species a chance to recover. “The time wasted on this change and the campaigns to achieve it will do nothing to catch turtles,” he said. “It was time and energy that would have been better invested in solving the real problems that Snapping Turtles face – important issues such as road mortality and habitat loss.” The Snapping Turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in Canada, reaching an average length of 20-36 cm and a weight of 4.5-16.0 kg. Snapping turtles have large black, olive or brown shells that are usually covered with algae. Their tail, which may be longer than their body, has triangular dinosaur-like combs along their length. Juveniles are about the size of a loonie and are smaller and darker than adults, with pronounced ridges along their shell. Not all Ontario turtles can be treated (unless they help them out of harm`s way), transported or kept without special permission from the government. Turtles and many turtle habitats are protected by law in Ontario and Canada.
The association does not believe that snapping turtles are endangered and says the ministry has not provided any data. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has amended its regulations after months of public consultation and introduced a complete ban on snapping turtle hunting. Wildlife Conservation Canada agrees with species experts that harvesting snapping turtles is not sustainable and should be banned. If you agree and want to help protect Ontario`s Snapping Turtles, now is the time to make your voice heard. The provincial government is currently seeking public comment on its proposed changes to the hunting guidelines. Comments submitted by January 30 will be considered as part of the Department`s review process. “It doesn`t make sense to let them hunt legally.” In its original publication on the Environmental Registry (the “Registry”), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (“MNRF”) proposed to restrict the hunting of Snapping Turtles. However, as stated in the announcement of the regulatory decision sent to the registry on March 31, 2017, the MNRF ultimately decided to introduce a complete ban instead. Turtles like red-eared pushers are not native to Ontario, and their release into the wild can cause major problems for our own native turtles.
These non-native species often carry diseases that can be deadly to our own turtles. In addition, the competition they present is also harmful to Ontario`s turtles. Many species of companion turtles live in a warmer climate than Ontario turtles and will not survive in our temperature zone. However, sliders survive and have even been found to breed in the wild in Ontario. Our turtles don`t need another threat, so please move home instead of letting go! “Street mortality is a big part (of the threat),” McGarry said. “We always ask people to slow down when they are in rural areas, with wetlands, on the roads in the spring, when turtles cross the road so they can lay their eggs outside their habitat.” If you are serious about adopting turtles, you should do extensive research on the turtle`s needs. The care for each turtle or species of turtle is very different. Maintenance books and guides are often outdated and inaccurate – in recent years, huge strides have been made in reptile breeding. Even the most helpful store clerk can`t tell you everything you need to know about your turtle in a five-minute conversation! Visit the Tortoise Trust website for well-researched articles and information on turtle breeding and conservation. While some countries consider meat a delicacy, there are plenty of food options here and there`s no need to eat turtles, she added. “I loved it,” said the City of Essex Coun.
Sherry Bondy, who has been leading the fight against the slaughter of snapping turtles since 2012. Ontario has ended its opening season for Snapping Turtles. After the age of 4, turtles cannot easily create new spatial memories and if removed from their memorized territories, they can die of stress, hunger and not find suitable hibernation places. Turtles, especially snapping turtles, are among the best guardians of nature! They are scavengers and help purify our water by removing dead and decaying carcasses that are sources of harmful bacteria. Therefore, turtles, better than any other species, support the health of our drinking and bathing waters. Snapping turtles are classified as “very special concern” under the Endangered Species Act and the Federal Endangered Species Act. Species are classified as very high concern if they are threatened or endangered due to a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.
