Turtles at Point Pelee

Southwestern Ontario has the highest concentration and number of turtle species in Canada. Six of the eight turtle species native to Ontario can be found within Point Pelee National Park. Federally, all turtle species are designated as species at risk due to population declines as a result of road mortality, habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and nest predation.

Point Pelee Turtle Nest Protection

Turtle monitoring and nest protection has taken place in Point Pelee National Park for more than a decade. This work has helped to increase the number of turtle hatchlings entering into the overall population (a process known as juvenile recruitment) and decrease nest predation rates within the park. Staff from the park's Resource Conservation department, with the assistance of different program partners over the years, have protected approximately 835 turtle nests since the program began in 2001.
In June and July of 2020, Parks Canada staff conducted turtle surveys from sunrise to sunset to minimize any loss or harm due to the road reconstruction taking place. Over the course of nesting season, the turtle tracker team:

• Documented 185 turtle observations – 135 of which were associated with the road (e.g., crossing the road, actively nesting, digging test pits),
• Relocated 10 nests from the roadside to a more suitable area to avoid disturbance from construction activities, and
• Documented 54 nest locations, 25 of which were protected over the course of the summer.

Overall, 754 turtle hatchlings emerged from nests in Point Pelee during the 2020 field season – 518 of which were from nests protected as part of the turtle monitoring program.

Turtles of Point Pelee 

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