About eight species of turtles are at risk in Ontario including this one. The Turtle Protectors are helping to keep their babies safe.
It is turtle hatching time again.
Nature lovers may see in area parks square wire turtle cages installed on the ground in certain places by a group called the Turtle Protectors to keep baby turtles safe.
The group posted a photo of the turtle cages on social media to alert park users. This one is placed near a path leading to Marine Parade Drive.
“We are keeping an eye on it,” group members warned, adding the endangered turtles can be eaten or killed by predators as they try to make their way from their nests to water or swamp.
An array of community volunteers gently remove the babies from the cages and take them to nearby ponds or swamps in a Born Free moment.
This is a wire cage left in the ground to help protect baby turtles as they make their to the water.
“As we approach turtle hatching time, the hatchlings in most of the protected nests are in danger when they emerge through the holes in the four sides of the frames because of the proximity to bike paths and roadway.”
The post stated that most of the holes (in the cage) have now been covered but hatchlings sometimes become trapped under the frames.
“It is vital that any evidence of emerging hatchlings needs to be reported immediately to the Turtle Protectors’ hotline – 647 491 4057,” the group states.
”We do inspect them (cages) a number of times daily, but we can all play a part in their survival by keeping a watchful eye whenever we are in the park.”
There are eight species of turtles in Ontario, of those four are endangered species and four are of special concern.