Turtles Kingston Blog
What would happen if turtles went extinct?
Turtles are an essential part of our ecosystems and play a vital role in maintaining the balance and health of our environment. They are present in almost every freshwater habitat, including rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Their impact is far-reaching. So, what would happen if they disappeared?
Pet Turtles and Rehoming
Here at Turtles Kingston, we advocate for turtles and focus on conservation, education, and protecting our native species. We are often asked questions about other turtle related topics, including turtles as pets and how to surrender a pet turtle. In this blog, we will explore why some turtles are kept as pets and what happens when that turtle needs to be rehomed. Please note it is illegal to keep a native turtle as a pet. Native turtles are always best left in their natural environment and territory.
Turtles in Winter
Generally, spring through to late summer is considered “Turtle Season”. When autumn and winter roll around, thoughts veer away from turtles. Do you ever wonder what our turtle friends are doing during the cold of winter? Let’s find out!
Hatchlings on the Move!
As late summer begins, a new phase of development and movement occurs with Ontario’s turtles. The newest generation of turtles that we have been trying so hard to protect begin to emerge from their nests - turtle hatchlings! Allow us to share what we know about Ontario’s turtle hatchling population and how we can help them.
Why are turtles important?
Did you know that turtles are a Keystone Species and that other species depend on their presence in the ecosystem? This means that aside from saving turtles to preserve turtle populations, we save turtles to keep wetland ecosystems healthy. Join us in exploring why turtles are an important part of our wetlands.
Why did the turtle cross the road?
Roads are not a safe place for turtles - road mortality is the second largest reason for turtle population loss - so why do we constantly find them there? Join us in exploring why turtles can't avoid crossing our roadways, and learning about the movements of our turtle neighbours.
Are we interfering with nature?
We are often asked if the actions we take to help the turtle population are interfering with the course of nature. In this month's blog, we explore how turtle conservation strategies effect nature, the extent of our interference, and why we do it!
What to do when you find an injured turtle
As nesting season approaches, we can expect many turtle sightings in our travels, and look forward to helping them when necessary. Unfortunately, many turtles are injured or killed during their movements; read our latest blog post to learn how to help injured turtles on the road, how to safely transport them, and why even a dead turtle can be useful in restoring the population!
How do turtles survive the winter?
David Seburn is our guest blogger today. David is a Freshwater Turtle Specialist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. In this post, David will provide insight on where turtles go and how they survive during the winter months - a question many of us have.
Dispelling Myths about Snapping Turtles
Let’s get something straight, Snapping turtles are not aggressive, they cannot bite off your finger, and yes, you can and should help them cross the road. Learn more about what Snapping turtles are really like.
Always More to Learn About Turtles
Lesley Rudy conducted research on Map turtles in Kingston for her Master’s research. Read to learn more about what her research found on the emergence of turtle hatchlings.