Turtle Admission Records Analysis for Identifying High Risk Locations and Analyzing the Value of Ecopassages

Description

By Lilliam Hamlin, Completed for: Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre; Supervising Professor: Julian Aherne;
Trent Community Research Centre, ERST 4830Y -, The purpose of this research was to assist the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre
(OTCC) in analyzing their intake records and identifying the locations and details of mitigation
measures that have been implemented in the province to reduce the mortality of turtles on roads.
This project was complete by analyzing and mapping four years (2014–2017) of OTCC intake records
to determine patterns of turtle mortality. Climate data, including temperature and
precipitation, was also compared to determine potential drivers for the trends that arose in
intake numbers. Through interviews conducted with individuals and organizations, locations of
ecopassages were determined, and then examined to discuss their effectiveness. The results
indicate that 84% of the turtles brought into the OTCC have been hit by cars, and that in 2017
the intake totals for the OTCC more than doubled. It is predicted that a decrease in
precipitation in 2016, may have resulted in a population rebound when seasonal weather returned
in 2017. In addition, a growing awareness about the OTCC appears to be a significant factor in
these trends, as the spatial distribution of turtles in the OTCC intake records has increased by
16 km on average, and over 40,000 km in total over the past four years. In regards to mitigation
measures, 80 different locations were identified and the features and effectiveness of these
structures were discussed through a comparison with literature. It is recommended moving forward
that the OTCC continue to monitor annual intake patterns and compile the locations of
ecopassages in the province. It is evident that turtle populations are suffering as a result of
habitat fragmentation from the development of road networks. The information presented in this
project will help the OTCC become better prepared for years to come, and also assist in
improving the communication and collaboration among stakeholders to increase the conservation of
turtle populations in Ontario.