Incredible Species Newsletter - Turtles
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Turtles in Trouble: True or false? Turtles were on the earth long before dinosaurs. True! They may have survived the ice age but today many turtles are in danger of becoming extinct. The main threats to turtles are: loss of habitat, pollution, the illegal pet trade, commercial fishing practices, automobiles, and hunting.
Think a turtle would make a great pet?Think again. Turtles are often collected, illegally, for the pet trade and over-collection has caused many turtles to become endangered. If you like turtles, try to spot them in the wild - or get a better view at a zoo. Canada’s amazing Toronto Zoo is home to more than 10 species of turtles. Crossing the RoadLike many other turtles, the mother snapping turtle leaves her home in the water in search of a dry, sandy nesting site. Once she’s laid her eggs and buried them, she returns to the water. As soon as baby turtles hatch, they too head for a source of water. Too often female turtles and baby turtles die trying to cross roads to get to water. A turtle the size of a car?
The leatherback sea turtle has been known to reach a length of 8 feet and a weight of 2000 pounds - making it roughly the length and weight of a Smart Car. The leatherback is the largest of all turtle species. It also dives the deepest and travels the farthest of any turtle. Tough as it is, this species is endangered world wide. In fact, 6 of the 7 sea turtle species are listed as endangered or critically endangered. Why? Their meat and eggs have been over-hunted. Coastal nesting habitats have been disturbed and destroyed. Sea turtles are caught in fishing nets and snagged by "long lines". Pollution is a threat. Want to help sea turtles? Don’t release helium baloons into the air. Avoid using plastic bags. (Many sea turtles die from injesting plastics that they mistake for food.)
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Helping TurtlesMany programs are in place across Canada to help turtles. The wood turtle - an endangered species in Ontario, needs all the help it can get. Luckily, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources have been working together to establish protected nesting sites for wood turtles. A protected nesting site is designed to keep eggs safe from predators such as racoons and skunks. To help keep human predators out, site locations are kept secret!
Celebrate World Turtle Day – May 23 |
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