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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2016-08-31, Page 11Wednesday, August 31, 2016 • News Record 11 Public invited to help release turtle hatchlings, learn more about local turtles Eggs from species -at -risk Snapping Turtles recovered, incubated; Local people can release Snapping Turtle hatchlings into wild on September 1 in exchange for donation to Turtle Conservation Centre Local people have a rare chance to release local spe- cies -at -risk turtle hatchlings into the wild. Those who want to release a Snapping Turtle hatchling or learn more about local turtles are invited to visit the Morrison Dam Conservation Area, 2 km east of Exeter, at 71108 Morrison Line, on Thursday, September 1, 2016, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. There are four clutches of turtles to be released. Two clutches are to be released from Morrison Line; one clutch from the Mac - Naughton -Morrison Section of the South Huron Trail and one on Ausable Line (that clutch is from a female turtle that was hit by a car). "For me, it is very emo- tional to see turtles rescued, hatched, and then released," said Jory Mullen, Lead Spe- cies at Risk Technician with the Huron Stewardship Council (HSC). "Our native Ontario turtle species face many threats such as cars and from having their eggs eaten by other predators in the wild," she said. "It makes me feel very hopeful, how- ever, to see turtles released so our community can play a positive role in the work to save these important species:' Two female turtles laid eggs dangerously close to Morrison Line, just above Morrison Dam, in June. Mul- len collected those eggs. She collected eggs near the Mac - Naughton -Morrison Section of the South Huron Trail and also when a female turtle was hit by a car on Ausable Line. About 100 eggs were incubated for about 65 days. The hatchlings are now ready to be released and returned to the wild. Members of the public are invited to help release the turtle hatchlings for a dona- tion of any amount to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) in Peterbor- ough. OTCC is home to the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre. The OTCC provides emergency medical and rehabilitative care to native wild turtles hit by cars on our roadways. Every year more than 500 injured turtles are brought to the centre. These turtles most often have life- threatening injuries because they have been run over by vehicles. Road mortality is one of the biggest threats facing turtles, according to Mullen. There are eight native turtle species in Ontario. Seven of those spe- cies are at risk. In addition to releasing the Snapping Turtle hatch- lings, HSC and Ausable Bay- field Conservation staff will be at the September 1 event to provide information on local turtle species. Staff members are to have `Brake for Turtles' and 'Brake for Snakes' bumper magnets for sale as well as unique art- work painted by A young snapping turtle. native turtles and snakes. All proceeds from these sales go towards the OTCC. Any donation of twenty dollars or more is eligible for a charita- ble gift receipt for income tax purposes. "Without the important work that the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre does, we would lose far more turtles from our local populations," said Hope Brock, Healthy Water- sheds Technician with Ausa- ble Bayfield Conservation. "Saving even one adult turtle by safely moving them across the road can help conserve that species:' Even when a few turtles are removed from the turtle population, by car -related Contributed photo deaths, it hurts the future of the turtle population, said Mullen. "That is because female turtles reproduce so slowly and most of a mother turtle's babies die," she said. For more information on the turtle release event phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610. If you're self -excluded from Ontario casinos you'll want to read this. The OLG Self -Exclusion Program was designed for people who want to pause or stop their gambling. As part of our support of a self-excluder's commitment to stop gambling, self -excluded individuals are not permitted to win prizes: OO Ontario's olg.ca pee Lottery & Gaming *In accordance with regulatory requirements, self -excluded individuals and other categories of individuals identified as ineligible to play are not permitted to win prizes at gaming sites. See AGCO Registrar's Standards on Gaming and OLG Rules of Play for Casino Games.