Uniquely Geared to Live A Long Life

Uniquely Geared to Live A Long Life

By Kelly Wallace

There are eight turtles species native to Ontario. The lifespan of each species and turtle to turtle varies depending on habitat quality, availability of resources, predation, and disease. Turtles are known for their impressive longevity compared to many other animals. While turtles have the potential for extended lifespans, it is essential to note that “many” turtles do not live exceptionally long lives. Road mortality, habitat loss, poaching, pollution, predation, and human activities significantly impact their lifespan in the wild.

If a turtle gets the opportunity to live its natural life expectancy, most would easily surpass the lifespan of its predators.

Raccoons: On average, in the wild, raccoons live about five years, but with abundant food and shelter, they can survive well past a decade. It has been estimated that 50 percent of raccoons die within their first year due to disease, starvation, predators, or human intervention.

Foxes: The average life span of wild foxes is five or six years in northern Ontario and about three years in southern Ontario.

Skunks: The average lifespan of skunks is four years in the wild. Unlike most small animals, the short lifespan of skunks is not due to predators. Reports indicate that predators cause less than 5% of skunk deaths. Several diseases ravage skunk populations.

Heron: The oldest wild great blue heron recorded was 23 years of age, but most do not live that long. The average lifespan for a heron is 5 to 15 years.

Slow Is The Way To Go

The secret to the long lives of turtles comes down to a combination of factors, but mainly due to their slow metabolism. This term refers to the chemical and physical processes that go on inside a living being to keep it alive.

Several factors make it possible for turtles to have long lifespans; these include:

Slow Metabolic Rate: Turtles have a slow metabolic rate, which means their bodies function slower than many other animals. Firstly, turtles can survive for a long time without food, thanks to the slow, process through which they break down the ingested food and convert it into energy. Turtles are generally very slow-moving and relaxed creatures, so their energy requirements are relatively low. This slow metabolism helps reduce the accumulation of cellular damage, which can cause individual cell death. If sufficient cells are lost, the result can be tissue or organ failure, ultimately leading to the death of the organism.

Ectothermic: Turtles are ectothermic (cold-blooded). Ectotherms are animals that rely on heat from their environment to regulate their body temperature. Turtles move into the sun or into the shade as needed. During cooler parts of the year, they become inactive.

Genetic Factors: Genetic factors play a role in determining the potential lifespan of turtles. Some species have genetic traits that make them more resistant to diseases or better equipped to handle aging, leading to increased longevity.

Shell Protection: The hard shell of a turtle provides excellent protection against predators and environmental hazards. It serves as a shield, reducing the likelihood of fatal injuries or diseases that might otherwise shorten their lifespan.

Habitat And Lifestyle: Turtles generally inhabit stable environments, such as bodies of water or terrestrial habitats, where they can find food and shelter. These stable habitats reduce the risks associated with environmental fluctuations, ensuring more favorable living conditions for turtles and allowing them to live longer.

Survival Adaptations: Turtles have evolved various physiological and behavioral adaptations that promote their survival. They possess efficient immune systems and antioxidant mechanisms to combat oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance that may occur when there are unstable molecules called free radicals in the body and insufficient antioxidants to get rid of them. This can lead to cell and tissue damage which can contribute to aging. Some species can even tolerate low oxygen levels for extended periods, e.g., Painted Turtles. These adaptations contribute to their overall health and longevity.

Ontario Turtles Lifespan

The average lifespans of the turtle species found in Ontario:

Blanding’s Turtles: They can live up to 60-70 years or even longer, with some individuals reaching over 75 years of age.

Painted Turtles: Typically, this species can live 20-30 years in the wild, but with favorable conditions and limited threats, they can live more than 50 years.

Spotted Turtles: This species is notably inactive during warmer summers, which may contribute to survivorship. They can live to be over 50 years of age and are capable of living over 100 years.

Spiny Softshell Turtles: In Ontario, they can live up to 50 years in the wild. Subspecies of the Spiny Softshell Turtles found in other countries can live considerably longer.

Wood Turtles: Are considered long-lived reptiles, with some living more than 50 years in the wild.

Northern Map Turtles: A Map turtle’s lifespan is relatively short compared to other turtle species. They can live more than 20 years in the wild.

Eastern Musk Turtles: Otherwise known as “Stinkpot,” can live for decades with a life expectancy of 40 to 60 years.

Snapping Turtles: Snapping turtles have a relatively long lifespan and can live up to 30-40 years in the wild; some have been reported to live upwards of 100 years or even longer, with a maximum theoretical life span of 170 years.

That Snapping Turtle is How Old?

We often get asked about the age of Snapping Turtles in relation to their size. Many factors influence the growth rate of Snapping Turtles in the wild; sizes will vary between different environments.

It takes 17 to 20 years for Snapping Turtles to reach sexual maturity. During these years, they grow rapidly. Snapping Turtles will grow from the size of a hatchling (loonie) to an adult turtle weighing 10 -35 pounds. An educated guess can be made by measuring the turtle’s carapace (shell), and a rough estimate can be made by counting its annuli (growth rings).

Snapping Turtles often reach about 7 inches in carapace length by the time they are ten years old; by the time they are 25 years old, they reach about 11 inches in carapace length. As a general guideline, 15 years old = 14.5-inch shell length, 20 years old = 14 inches plus. The largest Snapping Turtle specimens with carapace lengths reaching or exceeding 18 inches are likely 70 to 100 years of age.

Growth Rings

Turtles are reptiles, and like all reptiles, they have scales. The scales on their shell are specialized plates called scutes (pronounced “scoots”). Annuli are growth rings found on the scutes of a turtle’s carapace and plastron (under shell). These are rings of keratin laid down in correspondence to the growth of a turtle’s carapace or plastron. These are not necessarily formed annually and only serve as an age estimate.

The alternating growth patterns form visible rings around the scutes like a tree; because this pattern typically repeats on an annual cycle, each growth ring often corresponds to one year of life.

Turtles do not grow during brumation (hibernation), approximately November to March, which can range from 5 – 6 months in Ontario. With the shorter growing season they experience in the wild, Snapping Turtles from northern latitudes tend to grow less each year than their southern counterparts. Measuring the length of the carapace is a better gauge of age.

Ongoing species recovery efforts throughout the province aim to help turtles live the long and fruitful lives needed to restore Ontario’s turtle population to its former numbers and distribution.

To contact the author e-mail thinkturtle@yahoo.com or visit the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative website at http://www.thinkturtle.ca

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