Turtle Protectors

According to Reptile & Amphibian Conservation Ontario Reptile & Amphibian Conservation the first sighting on a nesting turtle happened on May 27 in Essex County.

You can be a turtle protector by patrolling your local park and the nearby roads looking for turtles on land and calling our hotline 647-491-4057 when you see one!

We officially steward the following parks:
Biidaasige
Colonel Sam Smith
Don Valley Brick Works
Etienne Brule
King's Mill
High Park
Home Smith
Humber Bay
Rennie
Smythe
Woodbine

Miigwetch to everyone who commits to doing what you can to support turtles this nesting season!

This Midland Painted Turtle was found on May 4, the first day of our turtle population study at Don Valley Brick Works Park. The fishing hook seems to have gone through her mouth into her eye which led to an eye infection. She is currently receiving care .

What makes this so cruel is that it looks like the line was cut.

Please don't fish in places where you can visibly see lots of turtles, places like Don Valley Brick Work Park. Turtles literally have no where to go. The city of Kingston, recently passed a bylaw to protect their turtle residents "9.13 No person will fish or engage in fishing-related activities within a designated turtle habitat area".

If you choose to fish please bring a large bin so that if you catch a turtle you are able to reel them in and contain them.

Once contained, please call us at 647-491-4057 or Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) and we'll ensure turtle receives medical attention. You will not get in trouble for calling. We will thank you for calling.

If the hook comes out, please don't assume they don't need medical care. Last year, we had a Painted Turtle who managed to remove a hook on her own on the way to TWC and she still needed 10 days of treatment for the hook injury.

If you see anyone who catches a turtle, please call us and we can walk you through a rescue.

Conservation work is tricky. While there are some very clear regulations to protect our animal kin, a lot of time you find yourself in a situation where you have to lean into your experience and your gut instinct.

On April 19, Malik, a Turtle Protector volunteer, noticed this Snapping Turtle hadn't moved throughout his shift so he called our hotline. Soon after, Leah and Adore were on scene with a dip net and a bin. Turtle was easy to catch but once he was placed in the bin he started to respond which made them pause for a moment. In the end, they trusted their gut and brought him to for an assessment.

Our volunteer's intuition was spot on. This Snapping Turtle was cold stunned, had signs of sepsis and an eye infection. After a course of antibiotics and a full month of excellent care, turtle made their way back to Grenadier Pond.

Adult turtles are critical for maintaining turtle population stability. The loss of just one can have devastating effects for decades.

If you see a turtle that doesn't seem to be acting like you would expect and your instinct tells you something isn't quite right call us at 647-491-4057.

Miigwetch to Leah Hladkyj from for sharing her stunning photos of the release.

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We are hiring Indigenous in-the-field Turtle Protectors for nesting season. Please submit a cover letter and resume by email to: [email protected]

Indigenous in-the -field Turtle Protector Job Description:

Contribute to Turtle Conservation in Toronto by:

* monitoring roads surrounding parks for turtles and helping them cross in the direction of travel
* scouting Toronto Parks for nesting mamas and supporting them by helping park visitors stay two car lengths away
* placing nest protectors over successful nests and recording data
* engaging the public

We are looking for folks who:

* are willing and able to work long hours - turtle nesting season is short and intense
* are willing to work in all kinds of weather (rain and heat - definitely not lightening though!!)
* are willing and able to travel to different Toronto Parks based on need
* are willing and able to start some shifts as early at 6:00 am
* are willing and able to engage Toronto Park visitors with some turtle facts

Compensation: $19/hour, 280 hours, total contract $5320, start date ideally May 25, end date, ideally July 15.

Please send cover letter and resume to [email protected] by May 21 at 11:59 pm. Interviews will happen on a rolling basis so apply as soon as you can!

Miigwetch!!!