All Those Turtle Boxes!

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Newly emerged baby Painted Turtle easily releases itself from it’s nursery box. Photo Credit: Rod Steinacher
Submitted by Rod Steinacher

The 2022 turtle nesting season on the upper Saugeen Bruce Peninsula has pretty much wrapped up for this year. The Snapping Turtles are finished and, except for a last nest or two, the smaller Painted Turtles have also completed their nesting.

Residents and visitors may have noticed the many low wooden boxes with wire mesh tops along the sides of area roads, from Johnson’s Harbour up to Cape Hurd. These “nursery” boxes have an opening on the side away from the road (so you might not notice it right away) that young turtles use to easily get out of the boxes once they have dug their way from their nests to the surface. These “neonates” (newborns) do not stay in the boxes very long, and have usually scooted out in a minute or two, or sometimes even within a few seconds!

Under an agreement with the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, local volunteers (of which I am one) have placed the nursery boxes over turtle nests to protect them from being destroyed by wild predators, such as raccoons. Wildlife biologists all over North America use these boxes to reduce nest predation to near zero. Without these protective boxes, most nests get dug up and the eggs eaten, often in a single night. 

These boxes play a very important role in conserving our local turtle populations, both species of which are now listed as “Species of Concern”. With predators held at bay, the largest cause of turtle mortality is being hit by speeding cars, with drivers not able to easily see turtles, especially the little ones, and avoid them! Slowing down, especially near wetlands, is something that all residents and visitors can do to reduce the number of turtles killed every year on our local roads.

A predated Snapping Turtle nest, while a nest protected by its nursery box (in the background) is completely unaffected. Photo Credit: Rod Steinacher

A reminder that if you do see a turtle on the road, if you can do so safely, encourage it to continue in the direction in which it is/was facing… they really do know where they want to go. They are moving to or from nesting sites or from one wetland to another. Having your car shovel in the trunk all summer lets you safely move those great big old Snapping Turtles. No need to try picking them up with your hands!

Let’s give the turtles a helping hand by avoiding them on the roads, and letting the nursery boxes do their job of protecting our next generation of turtles!