Beware the wood turtle, your peaceful neighbour

Like many species, the wood turtle emerges in spring. Being a reptile, it seeks out the sun to accumulate the energy it needs to complete its life cycle. Although it returns to the river regularly, the Wood Turtle ventures into wooded areas to feed. That’s when they run the risk of ending up in agricultural fields or near roads! As they seek to lay their eggs in sand or gravel banks, they are sometimes in danger of being hit by farm machinery, cars, recreational vehicles or during maintenance or landscaping work.

So be vigilant during its period of activity, from May 15 to September 15, with particular attention to early spring and late autumn!

Now recognized as a vulnerable (in Quebec) and threatened (in Canada) species, the wood turtle needs your help, as the loss of just a few adult individuals can lead to the disappearance of a population in the space of a few years. If you see a turtle, make a note of it on carapace.ca ! And if you see a turtle laying eggs, mark off the site to avoid driving over it. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see the hatchlings! Finally, try to schedule any work in the habitat outside its activity period.

For more information, contact OBV Yamaska:

819-452-3674
[email protected]
www.obv-yamaska.qc.ca