What you can do to helpThe Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) isan attractive medium sized turtle. Its shell issmooth and high-domed, much like an armyhelmet, and is coloured black to grayish-brownwith many yellowish spots or streaks. The head,legs and tail are black to grey and the chin andthroat are bright yellow.

Do you live near Blanding’s Turtles?Blanding’s Turtles can be found throughoutmuch of the Carolinian zone. Most of the yearthey live in the shallow water of wetlands, lakesor ponds. Adults prefer sites with fairly openwater but juveniles like to hide in aquaticvegetation.During the summer adult females may travellong distances, up to several kilometres, to laytheir eggs. They search for loose sandy orgravelly soil in places like the shoulders ofroads, forests, and fields to dig their nests anddeposit their eggs. These travels make themvulnerable to being run over by cars.In the winter they hibernate in the soft mudbottoms of permanent water bodies.

Saving Blanding’s Turtle :

Field check 13-18cm in length Bright yellow chin and throat Protruding eyes High domed shell that looks like an

old army helmet Shell black to grayish-brown with

yellowish spots or streaks Hinge on bottom shell

What you can do to help Control erosion along roads, trails and during

construction to minimize risk of sedimentrelease into rivers, streams, lakes andmarshes.

Create or expand small sunlit clearings on thenorth side (south facing bank) of waterbodies, for use as potential nesting areas, ifloose substrates, including sand, organic soil,gravel and cobblestone are present.

Work involving heavy equipment, or otherpotential risks to turtles, should not occurwithin 300m of known habitat during peaknesting season (June) as turtles are movingabout on land at this time and can be crushedby vehicles or disturbed while nesting.

Conserve wetlands and, if possible, keep a100m naturally-vegetated buffer around them.

When possible, restrict boat and fishingaccess to water bodies where Blanding’sTurtles are known to live to preventdisturbance of and/or injuries to this species.

Retain natural shorelines (e.g. vegetation,fallen trees in water, etc.). Provide additionalhabitat by placing partly submerged logs nearthe shore to be used by basking turtles.

Place screens on water control structuressuch as drain pipes, stand pipes and headgates to prevent turtles from getting trappedin these structures and drowning.

Watch for turtles crossing the road from May-July every year and avoid running themover—and please help spread the word!

Good sources of information

Saving Blanding’s Turtle

StatusBlanding’s Turtles are Threatened nationallyand provincially. It is illegal to kill, harm orcollect the species, or to destroy its habitat inOntario.Carolinian Canada Coalition is working withlocal Ontario Ministry of Natural ResourcesOffices, Conservation Authorities and otherNon-Governmental Organizations to recoverSpecies at Risk.You can help the recovery efforts by protectingthis species and its habitat.

General Best Stewardship Practices Keep domestic pets on a leash when

outside to prevent them from harming orharassing native wildlife.

Learn to identify invasive species. Yourlocal Conservation Authority or OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources Office canprovide you with information on invasivespecies that occur in your area and what youcan do to help prevent their spread.

Learn about stewardship activities in yourarea and actively participate in protectingSpecies at Risk. To find more informationabout stewardship activities in your area,contact your local Stewardship Council orConservation Authority.

Take advantage of the Environmental FarmPlan program. To learn more contact theOntario Ministry of Natural Resources or theOntario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and RuralAffairs.

Report any illegal activity related to plantsand wildlife to 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667)

Carolinian Canada Coalition:www.carolinian.orgOntario Ministry of Natural Resources:Includes information about Ontario Species at Riskwww.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Natural Heritage Information Centrehttp://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/Find your local Conservation Authority Office:www.conservationontario.caGovernment of Canada Species at Risk PublicRegistry:www.sararegistry.gc.caFind your local Stewardship Council:www.ontariostewardship.orgOntario Soil and Crop Improvement AssociationIncludes information about the Environmental FarmPlanontariosoilcrop.orgToronto Zoo Adopt-a-PondLearn more about Ontario’s reptiles, their habitatand related conservation initiatives.www.torontozoo.com/AdoptapondOntario’s Reptile and Amphibian AtlasSee how you can participate and learn more aboutOntario’s reptiles and amphibians.www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/herpetofaunal_atlas.php

If you have Species at Risk on yourproperty, you may be eligible forstewardship programs or financialincentives that support the protectionand recovery of Species at Risk andtheir habitats. Contact the OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources for moreinformation.

Did you know?

Funding provided by theOntario Ministry of NaturalResources

EnvironmentCanada

EnvironnementCanada