Author: Think Turtle Conservation Initiative

Photo by: Think Turtle Conservation Initiative

Turtle sightings are starting to trickle in, a sign that spring is finally taking hold.

After months beneath frozen wetlands, Ontario’s turtles are beginning to stir. Don’t be surprised to see them sluggish—basking quietly on logs or lingering near the bottom, soaking up warmth to jumpstart their systems. Their pace will pick up as the days grow longer and temperatures rise. Mating begins, journeys to seasonal habitats get underway, and feeding resumes.

If you come across an injured, sickly, or unresponsive Turtle anywhere in Ontario, please call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) at 705-741-5000 when you are with the Turtle. They offer free medical care and will arrange transport through their impressive Turtle Taxi network if the finders cannot drive the Turtle themselves. OTCC's new address is 2785 Television Road, Peterborough.

Turtle Taxi Volunteers

Last year, the OTCC admitted over 2,300 injured turtles, their highest number of admissions ever.  Thanks to the kindness of volunteers across the province, many were transported to safety and received the treatment they needed. 

The OTCC’s Turtle Taxi network plays a vital role in turtle rescue. Drivers are needed across Ontario to help transport turtles and sometimes even medical supplies. If you have a vehicle and a big heart, you can help—no turtle experience necessary.

Turtles are transported in enclosed containers; drivers don’t need to handle them directly. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact the OTCCs at 705-741-5000 or email volunteer@ontarioturtle.ca. 

Wildlife In Distress

Should you encounter wildlife other than turtles in Ontario that are sick, injured or abandoned please consult the Ontario Wildlife Rescue website for the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) licensed wildlife rehabilitator nearest you. An experienced rehabilitator will help you decide what the next steps should be. The Ontario Wildlife Rescue website is an excellent resource when wild animals are in need .

Source: https://thinkturtle.ca/ (April 2025 blog post)

About TTCI

Think Turtle Conservation Initiative (TTCI), founded in 2018, is an award-winning volunteer group engaged in provincial awareness initiatives and species recovery efforts in North Hastings and neighboring communities. Utilizing evidence-based information and data in support of its mission, TTCI works with community leaders, organizational representatives, and concerned citizens to drive change and build partnerships in pursuit of strategies to protect Ontario's turtles from the threat of extinction. 

TIP: Hooked an invasive water plant? Don't toss it back

Photo Credit: Invasive Species Centre

We’ve all been fishing and reeled in a weed – that’s right – we mean an aquatic plant. That weed could be Eurasian Water-Milfoil (EWM), an invasive species found in Steenburg Lake. EWM spreads when fragments of the plant break loose or are cut loose by a boat propeller.  If you hook one, please do not toss aquatic plants back in the lake. Instead dispose of them on land either in the garbage or by burning. Help prevent the spread of invasive plants. Learn more.

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About our lake:

Steenburg Lake is in the Trent River and Lake Ontario drainage basins in the townships of Limerick and Tudor & Cashel, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada, 28 kilometres south of the town of Bancroft. The lake is about 3.2 kilometres long and 2.8 kilometres wide and lies at an elevation of 316 metres.  

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