Please Make Turtle Nest Protectors

Please Make Turtle Nest Protectors

By Kelly Wallace

Winter is a perfect time to make turtle nest protectors! Preparing for the nesting season by having nest protectors constructed and on standby when you live in Turtle Country is an excellent approach to helping turtles.

Each year, we cross paths with people who have turtles that routinely nest on their property or had a turtle unexpectedly nest on their property, and the nests were predated. Half the battle to effectively helping turtles is knowing where they nest. Once a turtle nests on your property, the turtle may return to the same area to nest each turtle season, often being where it was born. Turtles have a strong affinity for their nesting grounds.

If you purchased property in the North Hastings area after July last year, you may be in for a wonderful surprise from mid-May to mid-July, as there could be turtles that nest on your property that you have yet to discover. Should you already know that turtles nest on land you own, reside or are a caretaker, we encourage you to construct some nest protectors if you have not already. Nest protectors can be reused for several seasons if properly cleaned and stored when not in use.

Even if you don’t use a nest protector you constructed this turtle season, imagine how great it would feel about lending or donating it to a family member, friend, or neighbor who has suddenly had a turtle nest on their property. Helping save a turtle nest from predators is a chance for the eggs to develop and for hatchlings to start their journey to adulthood. Being a part of this is an exceptional experience for all involved and a valuable contribution to species recovery efforts.

Ontario Supports Nest Protection

It is broadly reported that as many as ninety percent of turtle nests in the wild are destroyed by predators, accidental disturbances, weather events, and other factors. Any protected nest may positively impact the survival of a new generation of local turtles. In Ontario, if a turtle nests on your property, you can install a nest protector and are encouraged to do so. Should you observe a turtle nesting on a private, commercial, or industrial property you do not own, or public property such as a road shoulder, beach, baseball diamond, trail, park, etc., as per jurisdiction bylaws, land ownership, safety (motorists, cyclists, or pedestrians) and liability concerns, nest protectors are “not” allowed to be installed without permission. If a nest protector is installed without proper consent and there is an accident, the person who installed it could be held responsible and liable for any damage or injuries caused.

Sometimes, as much as we want to safeguard a nest, nature will have to take the lead if permission to install a nest protector is not forthcoming. In such cases, we ask that people focus on protecting the turtle nests that we are allowed to and have permission to do so. As tough as it is not to be able to preserve all turtle nests, nature does have ecological checks and balances that include a portion of turtle eggs playing a role in sustaining other species, which is not a nest gone to waste.

We are fortunate to be able to protect turtle nests on property we own or reside on in Ontario. Some provinces make it challenging; e.g., in Nova Scotia, people wanting to protect a nest must apply for a permit, which can take 21 days without guaranteeing it. The first 10 – 21 days are when turtle nests are most vulnerable to predation; you do the math.

Nest Protector Materials

To ensure turtle nests have full access to the warmth of the sun, rain, and air circulation when protected, a nest protector frame made of untreated two-by-4s should be covered with wire mesh.

Hardware Cloth: When constructing a nest protector, use a 23-gauge galvanized hardware cloth (wire mesh) with 1/4″ holes or a 19-gauge with 1/2″ holes. If nest protectors are to be installed in an area with plenty of vegetation, the 19-gauge is better suited to allow plants to grow through the mesh openings.

The 23-gauge wire mesh works well for sandy substrate and sparse vegetation areas, but availability will sometimes determine the gauge you use. Hardware cloth can be purchased in various roll sizes at Home Hardware, Birds Creek Farm Supply, and other stores locally and out of the area. If making one or two nest protectors, Think Turtle has some hardware cloth to cut individual pieces from at cost. We also have ready-made nest protectors available to purchase each season while quantities last if making one is not an option. Inquiries are welcome.

Chicken Coop Wire: We don’t recommend using chicken coop wire for turtle nest protectors. Although a useful wire product, the openings are big enough for snakes, mice, rats, and other small predators to get to turtles’ eggs. Most determined mammalian predators can chew or rip through chicken coop wire. That said, sometimes hardware cloth is unavailable, or people have chicken coop wire stashed away. If considering using chicken coop wire, we suggest securing one layer of chicken coop wire to the top of the nest protector frame (stapling is best) and then placing a second layer of chicken coop wire over the first layer but offset so that it dissects the large openings in the first layer, making smaller openings overall. Staple the second layer in place when adequately positioned and trim any excess around wood frame edges.

Education Resources

Think Turtle Conservation Initiative has helpful information and photos on our website under the “Education Resources” heading regarding nesting turtles, making a nest protector, tips for cutting hatchling exit holes, reinforcing wire mesh edges, anchoring nest protectors, and more.

As property owners, we have a role as stewards of the land, and, as such, the conservation of species at risk is a shared responsibility. Protecting turtle nests in Ontario is necessary for the turtle species’ survival, and in a broader sense, it contributes to the overall health and functioning of ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and the well-being of human communities.

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

Newspaper Article (Print): Wallace, K. (2024, February 7). Please make turtle nest protectors. The Bancroft Times, p. 4 – 5.

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