York Region releases 40 snapping turtles rescued at construction site

A team of people worked together to save the eggs and care for them until they hatched

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 1, 2023
Joseph Quigley

York Region rescued 40 snapping turtles discovered on a construction site and has released them safely to nearby wetlands.

Region staff discovered a turtle nest at the site of ongoing construction on Rutherford Road in Vaughan. The crew found the at-risk species nest while performing culvert work, prompting regional staff into action.

The eggs were retrieved and taken care at a conservation centre until they hatched, and then the little turtles were released into surrounding wetlands.

“Due to the quick thinking of all staff involved, these turtles surpassed the expected survival rate of hatching in the wild and should contribute to an increase in the snapping turtle population,” the region said in a news release.

Snapping turtles face struggles due to environmental factors and could become threatened or endangered over time due to biological characteristics and identified threats. The region noted it takes 15 to 20 years for turtles to reach maturity, and many do not make it to that age due to predators, habitat disruption and other dangers like vehicles.

After workers discovered the turtle and eggs on Rutherford Road, they fenced off the area until a specialist arrived. The region said that the nest was assessed and confirmed it was disrupted by a predator. Thus, the eggs could be relocated.

“York Region spent more than two hours carefully extracting eggs, making sure to keep them at the same temperature as the earth since a degree or two can alter the sex of the turtle,” the region said. “The eggs were secured in a peat moss-lined container for transport to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough.”

After some time spent in incubation, the centre agreed to release the turtles back into the surrounding wetlands in the Rutherford Road area.