Turtle Day took place on Tuesday, April 24 at the Elizabeth Lake Visitor Centre. Biologists were on scene with a large crowd of students and parents to learn more about this remarkable creature.
WATCH:
The young turtles had finally emerged after about six months from their nests and are ready to enter the water. These animals are provincially blue-listed, meaning that they are sensitive or vulnerable. This is due to the fact that the species depends upon low adult mortality and can’t tolerate high mortality of eggs and hatchlings. This is made difficult to to increasing loss of wetland habitat.
Furthermore, they reach the northern extent of their geographic range in southern BC and as a result, painted turtles are near the limits of their physiologic tolerances and are particularly susceptible to disturbances that might increase mortality.
Learn more at the Fish and Wildlife Compensation program website.
