KAWARTHA LAKES-Staff with the City of Kawartha Lakes working in conjuction with the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre have successfully returned some hatchlings to their natural habitat.
According to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, hatchlings only have a 1% chance of surviving to breeding age, showcasing the importance of having successful offspring. Ontario has eight different species of turtles, most of which are endangered or at risk of becoming endangered.
In late August, while working on a road reconstruction project in Dalrymple, staff from the City engineering division discovered a turtle nest located on the construction site. They carefully uncovered the eggs and placed them safely into a box to be transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, located in Peterborough.
The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre monitored and incubated the eggs for the remainder of the gestation period. Staff were then notified that the eggs had successfully hatched and were ready to be returned back to the original nesting area on Avery Point Road.
Two of the City staff members carefully transferred the hatchings to the original site and gently placed them back into their natural habitat.
