Turtle Season 2023
Hello from Kelly at Think Turtle Conservation Initiative
We hope this e-mail finds you doing well and that you have been able to carve out time to indulge in whatever feeds your soul. It has been a whirlwind year in so many respects.
Think Turtle has remained vigilant in our efforts this turtle season to help the Ontario turtles and be available to people with turtle-related inquiries and concerns. We couldn’t do what we do without you. It takes a team of caring and like-minded people to further turtle conservation efforts effectively. Together, we are making a difference!
Content Index
Every turtle season has a slightly different story than the year before. As the end of 2023 draws near, we’d like to share some of what occurred this year with you. Read only the subject matter that interests you or the entire content.
(1) Climate Challenges
(2) Protect Wildlife Habitat
(3) Imperfect Car Magnets
(4) Dvd Sales
(5) Stop Stealing Turtles
(6) Nesting Season
(7) Community Assistance
(8) Turtle T-shirts
(9) Nests Hatching
(10) Turtles In The News
(11) Special Days
(12) Crafting 4 Turtles
(13) Watch 4 Turtles Signs
(14) Injured Turtles
(15) It Takes A Team
(1) Climate Challenges
When this turtle season began, we weren’t sure what to expect because climate change is driving unprecedented temperatures and weather extremes. Every time we have seen all the possible combinations that affect how the transition from winter to spring will play out, a new one gets thrown into the mix. Whatever the outcome is, it sets the stage for the Turtle’s reproductive timeline. All we could do was be braced and ready and wait to see how the turtles responded. The Turtles’ extreme sensitivity to environmental change was thoroughly tested this year. The prolonged transition from winter to spring, cool temperatures when it should have been warm, warmer temperatures when it should have been cool, no precipitation followed by excessive amounts, and hazardous air quality due to the wildfire smoke is believed to have impacted turtle activity. These factors put the turtles’ mating, nesting, and nest-hatching timeline behind by as much as three weeks locally and in other areas of Ontario. A shift of this degree doesn’t only affect the turtles. The rippling effect can disrupt the natural order of an entire ecosystem and its inhabitants differently.
(2) Protect Wildlife Habitat
The accumulative adverse effects of the provincial government’s systematic dismantling of environmental protections since taking office in 2018 were predominant this year in communities throughout Ontario. As a result, this turtle season has been as much about helping turtles as it has been about defending and protecting critical habitats. We started the year with petitions, rallies, and letter-writing campaigns to have Bill 23 repealed.
Greenbelt Signs
As part of ongoing efforts to repeal Bill 23, stop Greenbelt development, and protect ecologically sensitive land and water, Environmental Defence launched a province-wide sign campaign to increase awareness, consideration, and conversation. Think Turtle Conservation Initiative acted as the volunteer sign supplier for the Bancroft area. The coroplast lawn signs read ‘Save Ontario’s Farms, Forests & Wetlands’ on one side and ‘Hands Off The Greenbelt’ on the other. We still have a few signs if anyone would like one.
Funds Raised: Think Turtle is pleased to report that “$200” was sent to Environmental Defence because people donated funds when picking up a sign.
(3) Imperfect Car Magnets
In January and February, we ended up in an embroiled dispute with the printer we were using for our Watch 4 Turtles car magnets when they changed the finish on our car magnet order without consulting us and produced a defective finish. The printer refused to issue a refund or replace the magnets and took full advantage of the fact that we are a volunteer group they knew could not afford to take them to small claims court. Looking to move on from this disappointing incident, we posted about having “slightly imperfect” car magnets for sale at a reduced price. We hoped to recoup some of our costs and were moved by the number of people willing to overlook the imperfection. All 500 Watch 4 Turtles car magnets sold relatively quickly to people across Ontario who are concerned about population declines and keen to help raise awareness. We were able to purchase more car magnets through a different printer. Thank you for helping us through this unpleasant situation.
(4) Dvd Sales
As far back as early March 2020, we advertised a gigantic DVD Sale for the Turtles. That never happened as COVID-19 reared its head, and the provincial government canceled public events province-wide. Finally, this year, in April, we got the opportunity to have our gigantic DVD Sale and three more after that. Proceeds from the DVD sales allowed Think Turtle to launch its first t-shirt design.
Note: We still have over “500” gently used DVDs for sale. Lots of great titles! Everything from feel-good movies to tear-jerkers, period piece dramas, comedies, action films, animated films, etc. We have our sights on another DVD sale in Maynooth in February, weather pending. Details TBA.
(5) Stop Stealing Turtles
Think Turtle has been using “It Is Illegal To Remove Turtles From The Wild” signs for several years when circumstances warrant it. After learning that turtle eggs/hatchlings were dug up last turtle season and used as fishing bait (not in North Hastings), we were so disturbed it prompted us to upgrade our signs. We designed a larger, more impactful sign with plans to get 100 signs printed to be made available to Ontario communities needing such signs.
As odd as it may seem, there are a lot of people in Ontario who do not realize it is illegal to remove turtles from the wild as pets, to eat, sell, use as bait, harm or harass a turtle, and per the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act there are fines of up to $25, 000 and penalties.
We had not planned this venture at the start of the year and had yet to budget for it. We started a GoFundMe Fundraiser. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of citizens who shared our concerns, we raised the $410.19 needed to proceed with this initiative. The signs have since helped locally and in other communities in Ontario. If you feel this type of sign would benefit your community next turtle season, please get in touch to request a photo and more details.
(6) Nesting Season
Nesting season is typically mid-May to mid-July, with June being the peak month. Turtles are very particular about the atmospheric and nesting substrate temperatures during nesting season. The window for optimal nesting conditions this year was miniscule. Most nesting activity occurred between the second and last week of June, and the less-than-ideal temperatures that accompanied this period altered when turtles nested and where. In our community, there was increased nighttime nesting and, as a result, rampant predation. We can attest to many changes in nest site selection through our fieldwork and observations reported to Think Turtle via property owners, community groups, lake associations, and concerned citizens. Being a species known for habitual behavior, turtles that do not nest at their usual sites don’t go unnoticed. As if the turtles knew record-breaking hot temperatures were moving in the first week of July, they were out and about in droves in June and then abruptly gone.
Despite these challenges and others that include but are not limited to terrestrial and aquatic habitat loss through land conversion and development, road mortality, poaching, pollution, and invasive species this season, there were some impressive outcomes. These were partly due to the Turtle’s daunting carry-on and get-the-job-done mindset and concerted grassroots efforts.
(7) Community Assistance
Connecting with people locally, in neighboring communities, and throughout Ontario is integral to our education initiatives and promoting good stewardship.
Public Events: With so many people moving from urban centers to rural communities during the pandemic, we continued to make concerted efforts to connect with new landowners, land users, and land management that own, use, or oversee areas that include turtle habitat. Public events are a great way to do this. Through “23” events this year, we were able to offer guidance to people locally and in neighboring communities to avoid and minimize negative impacts on turtle habitat, teach them how to protect turtle nests, and familiarize them with the resources available to help turtles such as the OTCC turtle hospital, should a nest be accidentally unearthed or an unforeseen circumstance occurs. We met several former city dwellers excited and eager to learn how to help turtles.
Communications: In addition to helping many people locally with all manner of Turtle related inquiries, we fielded a high volume of calls and responded to e-mails and Facebook messages from concerned citizens from across Ontario to do with turtle nests, nest protection, injured turtles, illegal turtle activities, hatchlings, road mortality prevention, awareness signage, etc. We were able to assist over “350” turtles through this means. We are happy to provide this year-round service and are so grateful to those who contacted us for assistance. Thank you for helping turtles by asking questions and seeking answers.
(8) Turtle T-shirts
We were super excited to launch our first Turtle t-shirt this season and seven additional designs, including one in partnership with the Peterborough/Kawartha Green Party.
Each t-shirt features a unique design and a different conservation message.
Design #1 – Watch 4 Turtles Crossing Roads (Green, Adult S-XXL)
Design #2 – Protect Turtles There Is No Substitute (Black, Adult S-XXL)
Design #3 – Protect Wildlife Habitat (Ash Gray, Adult S-XXL)
Design #4 – Extinction Is Forever (Dark Green, Adult S-XXL)
Design #5 – Hands Off The Greenbelt (Turf Green, Adult M-XXL)
Design #6 – Slow The Pace / It’s Not A Race! (Teal, Adult S-XXL)
Design #6 – Slow The Pace / It’s Not A Race! (Pink/Blue, Youth XS-XL)
Design #7 – Santa Says / Take Care of Nature Every Day (Black, Adult S-XXL)
The Shell Yeah t-shirts are for a bit of fun.
Design #8: Shell Yeah I Like Turtles! (Navy, Adult S-XXL)
Design #8: Shell Yeah I Like Turtles! (Navy, Youth XS-XL)
Purchasing Details
The adult-size t-shirts are $25 each, youth t-shirts are $20, and the Santa Says t-shirt is presently on sale for $15 while quantities last. If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, please get in touch with Think Turtle to check on size and quantity availability and arrange curbside pick-up. The Santa Says t-shirt is available at West Wind Gallery & Gifts, 7 Bridge Street West, Bancroft.
Proceeds from every t-shirt purchase after costs will go towards the education initiatives and species recovery efforts Think Turtle Conservation Initiative is engaged in. Please help us continue our mission to generate awareness and measures to protect the turtle species for future generations!
In The Name Of Grace
Think Turtle is donating $5 from the sale of each “EXTINCTION IS FOREVER” t-shirt from our first run of this design to The Land Between c/o the Turtle Guardians program to go towards their efforts protecting wildlife habitat. The t-shirt featured a snapping turtle on the front.
Funds Raised: We will send The Land Between a cheque for “$175” this month from t-shirt sales.
Greenbelt T-shirts
The Green Party of Ontario (Peterborough Kawartha) and Think Turtle partnered up for a t-shirt campaign to spread the “Hands Off” message to help save the Greenbelt, repeal Bill 23, and protect Ontario’s ecologically sensitive land and water from degradation and destruction for our generation and future generations. The front of each t-shirt features the Think Turtle “Hands Off” design we used for rally signs in November 2022 after Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, was passed. We are happy to report this t-shirt campaign got cut short when the provincial government reversed its decision to build on the Greenbelt.
Think Turtle will be donating $5 from the sale of each t-shirt to Environmental Defence to help them continue to defend the Greenbelt, clean water, a safe climate, and healthy communities.
Funds Raised: We will send Environmental Defence a “$155” cheque this month from t-shirt sales.
(9) Nests Hatching
The delayed start to nesting resulted in nests hatching out late in the season, some nearing the end of October.
“THANKS” to the support of the Bancroft Township, Municipality of Hastings Highlands, and Faraday Township. The “Nest Protection Initiative” we embarked on this turtle season was particularly successful. Combined with these valued partnerships, a brilliant team of volunteers and community nest monitors made it possible for over “1,031” turtle hatchlings to get the best possible start to their journey.
With cooler nighttime temperatures beginning as early as mid-July, this may have prompted more hatchings to overwinter this year. The good news is there will be baby turtles to look forward to next spring.
(10) Turtles In The News
Thanks to a supportive network of Journalists and Radio Hosts locally and throughout Ontario, Think Turtle was able to further efforts to raise awareness through interviews and articles in local Bancroft newspapers (Bancroft Times and Bancroft This Week), Apsley Backroads, 97.7 FM Moose, and other publications, newsletters, and radio stations. Thank you to the Editors, Reporters, and Radio Hosts for featuring articles about turtles. Your words have inspired actions that help turtles get safely across roads, injured turtles get medical attention, and species recovery efforts move forward. Feel good about your part in helping save turtles.
Bi-Weekly Column
This year’s exciting development was an invitation to write a bi-weekly column for the “Bancroft Times.” The articles are often about turtles, but other wildlife and environmental subjects are also covered. Conservation is at the heart of what we write about. Be sure to purchase a copy of the Bancroft Times each week to keep up to date on community happenings, read our bi-weekly column, “Turtles and then some,” and other articles and columns featured by insightful and charismatic reporters and columnists on a myriad of exciting and informative subjects. For anyone interested in reading our past articles, visit the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative WordPress Blog at
https://thinkturtleconservationinitiative.wordpress.com/2023/08/16/turtles-and-then-some/
(11) Special Days
There were many memorable turtle circumstances this year. A favorite began with two turtles nesting on the Heritage Trail in Bancroft, leading to a community banding together to safeguard the nests. On an extraordinary day, August 30, 2023, one nest began hatching in the morning, with “26” hatchlings exiting the nest by noon. Just as this nest quieted down, we got a call about a nest hatching at another site we were monitoring. We drove over to that site. Forty-four hatchlings made an appearance from that nest. Shortly after that nest finished hatching, we got a call that the second nest on the Heritage trail had begun to hatch. By the end of the day, “38” hatchlings emerged from that nest; in total, “108” hatchlings showed up on the same day. Some might think providence had a hand in that, but we know it was all on the turtles and an outpouring of goodwill. It made for an extraordinarily wonderful day, made even better by the fact that we could share the joyous events with many adults and kids who gathered to see the results from efforts put in helping monitor the nest sites since June.
A second day to be shared is October 16, when turtle eggs were unexpectedly unearthed and needed a ride to the turtle hospital. OTCC organized transport to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) for the eggs, where the medical team would incubate the turtle eggs and care for them over the winter. I met the lady and her daughters, who were going to drive the eggs to the OTCC. We spoke for a few minutes before they set off on their journey. The lady laughed and said Wouldn’t it be cool if the eggs started hatching while en route. She laughed and said she could call OTCC and tell them to clear the way they were coming in hot with hatchlings. We laughed, and off they went. The lady texted me soon after to say two turtle eggs were hatching. Her daughters were, of course, thrilled. One has to admit this was cool. The final hatchling tally is not available at this time, as OTCC is updating its files, but we look forward to the exciting news.
(12) Crafting 4 Turtles
Think Turtle launched the “Crafting 4 Turtles” initiative in 2018 to encourage adults and youth to use their crafts skills and hobbies to help turtles. Each year, funds raised through the sale of handcrafted items made by adults and youth in the community go towards treating and caring for injured turtles admitted to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC), home of Ontario’s turtle hospital.
After six years, this initiative is still going strong. Thanks to extraordinary talents and caring Crafters/Artists in Bancroft and neighboring communities, our combined efforts raised “$2,144” by selling handcrafted items and donation box contributions for the turtle hospital this turtle season. These handmade items were sold at public events/markets Think Turtle participated in during May, July – September, and Christmas Sales. Some of the fabulous handcrafted items included crochet/knit turtles, hatchlings in their eggs, quilted mug rugs, resin turtle key chains/necklaces, felted pins, crochet tea cozies, crochet Christmas ornaments, rag rugs, crochet plant holders, beaded bracelets, wreaths, paintings, crochet animals and so much more.
Note: In addition, “$308” was raised through Crafting 4 Turtles handcrafted items donated to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre’s for their Art Auction in July.
(13) Watch 4 Turtles Signs
The ‘Watch 4 Turtles’ signs continue to sell and raise awareness locally and in communities throughout Ontario to help prevent turtle road mortality. According to our records, since 2018, “2,352” Watch 4 Turtles signs have been installed to help raise awareness. Thank you to everyone who has purchased a Watch 4 Turtles sign and installed it on their property or another location they have permission to.
(14) Injured Turtles
Think Turtle worked with people in Bancroft and neighboring communities to ensure that over “34” injured turtles or eggs/hatchlings in distress got to the turtle hospital this turtle season. We hope all or most will recover and return home in the spring to be released at their point of origin by OTCC staff.
As we celebrate our conservation successes in 2023, we also turn our thoughts to the “1,921” injured turtles admitted to the OTCC this turtle season. 90% of the turtles admitted are the result of being struck by a motor vehicle. The fact that there have been so many admissions is disturbing. It is an indication of poor driving practices such as speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The increase in OPP tickets issued this year confirms this. Although it is excellent that Ontario has a turtle hospital and that injured turtles are being reported and admitted, this is treating the symptom of a bigger problem, and that is the careless and harmful manner in which some motorists are approaching road travel. This reminds us that there is far more to do to raise awareness and promote mitigation measures to help prevent turtle road injuries and mortality.
(15) It Takes A Team
We’re so grateful to amazing people like you for advocating for wildlife and habitat and collaborating with us in the meaningful ways you did this year. Thank you for your support and partnership in education initiatives, awareness-raising campaigns, and species recovery efforts. You make it possible to pursue the conservation work we do.
There is such a lengthy list of volunteers, regional partners, supporters, contributors, friends, colleagues, news sources, and family that helped the successes happen. Sorry, we cannot list you all by name. We want to express our sincerest gratitude to every person who assisted Think Turtle Conservation Initiative this season. Each of you is every bit a part of all we do. A helping hand means the world to us and enables us to attain the conservation goals we set out to achieve and more.
Thank you profusely for helping ensure many Turtles this year got safely across roads, injured turtles/eggs got to the turtle hospital, awareness posts were shared on social media, nests were protected, hatchlings were assisted to the water this year and helpful errands were see to. This turtle season, we were also able to assist with turtle concerns in Belleville and Trenton, increased awareness locally and across Ontario, and we stood up in great numbers against development on the Greenbelt!
One hates to equate money with helping turtles, but it costs money to do what we do, and monitoring turtle activity involves a lot of travel. We can’t say enough nice things about the people who made a charitable contribution to Think Turtle this year. We are grateful for your confidence in the conservation work we engage in. We care about our work; it means a lot to know some people care about the turtles as much as we do.
Some local businesses stocked Think Turtle merchandise to help raise funds for Think Turtle initiatives, and others helped us in equally important ways. Thank you so much to Bancroft Home Hardware, The Carriagehouse, The Old Hastings Merchantile & Gallery, and West Wind Gallery & Gifts for stocking and selling Think Turtle merchandise which helps support turtle conservation. MacKenzie Wood Products, ITSTIX, Jacqui Vandenheuvel, Chris Baptist, and Susan Adams, thank you for helping with turtle awareness signage. We are eternally grateful for your assistance and the numerous supporters that posted our posters throughout the year.
At this time, we have to extend a special acknowledgment to the regional Public Works and Roads Department we worked with this year. We value your partnership, support, consideration, and patience. “THANK YOU” for all you did to help us help the turtles, the turtles you assisted while working, and for keeping our community running strong all year long.
Tom Rollins| Roads Lead Hand and the Public Works Work Crew
Township of Bancroft
Denver Mayhem| Operations Manager and the Operations Work Crew
Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Dylan Rigelhof | Operations Supervisor Y Road Works Yard and Musclow-Greenview Works Yard and Work Crew
Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Warren Scott | Operations Supervisor Highway 62 Works Yard and Work Crew
Municipality of Hastings Highlands
Scott Laundry | Road Superintendent and the Roads Department Work Crew
Municipality of Faraday Township
Kyle Hawkins-Schulz | Operations Supervisor and the Operations Works Crew
City of Belleville
Chris Angelo | Director Public Works & Environmental Services
The City of Quinte West
It is “inspiring” to know that in light of the many challenges this year has presented for all of us, there has been an unwavering commitment to protect species at risk and natural habitats locally and provincially. Helping one species by interconnections helps many species, including humanity. Thank you for being a part of that!
We head into the new year with the expectation of helping many more turtles and the determination to do so knowing we do so together.
From everyone at Think Turtle Conservation Initiative, we wish you and the people and critters dear to you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Take care on the roads and be COVID-safe.
Warm Regards,
Kelly Wallace, Managing Director
Think Turtle Conservation Initiative
Cell/Text: 647-606-9537
E-mail: thinkturtle@yahoo.com
Facebook: thinkturtleci
Username: Wallace Kathleen Kelly
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THINK TURTLE CONSERVATION INITIATIVE 