FRESH WATER TURTLES
Spiny Softshell | Blanding's | Northern Map | Snapping Turtles

Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera

Description: This distinctive freshwater turtle is sometimes referred to as the pig-nosed rubber-backed turtle, thanks to a long snout that acts as a snorkel and a leathery shell, quite different from the hard shell found on most turtles. Its olive or tan coloured shell is quite flat and round and marked with dark blotches. Inconspicuous spiny projections are found along the front edge. Males and young turtles have rough dorsal shells, while those of the adult female are smooth. The head and limbs are marked with dark spots and yellowish-green stripes. Females are bigger than males, measuring 18 to 42 cm and weighing as much as 12 kg while males measure between 12 and 24 cm. Spiny softshells need sand or gravel nesting areas that are close to the water and relatively free of vegetation. They also require shallow muddy or sandy areas to bury in, deep pools for hibernation during the winter, and basking areas. They feed on crayfish and molluscs and can travel up to 30 km a year. It can take 12 years for a female to become sexually mature. Eggs are laid in June and July in sandy areas, with an average of 20 eggs in a clutch. Unlike most turtle eggs, they have hard shells.

Population and distribution: Historically, spiny softshell turtles have been found from the Great Lakes Basin south to the Gulf of Mexico. While these turtles were once widely distributed in Canada, today there are only two remaining breeding sites in Ontario and one in Quebec. In Ontario, they are found in the southwest corner of the province, clustered around the Thames and Sydenham rivers and at two sites on Lake Erie. On the Quebec/Ontario border, they are found in southwest Quebec and in the Ottawa River region. Prior to 1985, the Ontario population was estimated to be between 1000 and 2000. In 2006, it dropped to between 800 and 1000, and spiny softshells have been classified as a threatened species under COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada).

Blanding’s Emydoidea blandingii

Description: The Blanding’s turtle is medium sized semi-aquatic turtle with a shell length of between 15 and 25 cm. This turtle is distinguished by its bright yellow chin and throat. The upper shell is domed, slightly flattened along the midline, and is oblong when viewed from above, speckled with yellow or light-colored flecks or streaks on a dark background. The lower shell is yellow with dark blotches symmetrically arranged. Blanding’s turtles take 14-20 years to reach sexual maturity. Nesting begins in early June, lasting throughout the month with clutch sizes varying from region to region, roughly between 5-12 eggs.

Estimated population and distribution: The core range of the Blanding’s turtle is in the southern Great Lakes, with isolated populations found in Quebec, Nova Scotia and near the east coast of the United States. COSEWIC lists the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population as threatened and the Nova Scotia population as Endangered.

Northern Map Turtle Graptemys geographica

Description: The northern map turtle gets its name from the marking on the skin and carapace, where the light markings in shades of yellow, tan or orange surrounded by dark borders resemble contour lines on a map or chart. The rest of the carapace is olive or grayish brown. Males are 10-16 cm in length and weigh between 150-400 g while females are larger at 18-27 cm with a weight of 0.5-2.5 kg. Northern map turtles breed in the spring and fall with a nesting period lasting from May to July. Unshaded sites with sandy soil are highly preferred, where the female usually chooses well-drained areas for depositing the eggs. The size of the clutch is between 6 and 20.

Population and distribution: Northern map turtles inhabit an area from south Quebec and Ontario to the St. Lawrence River drainage basin, extending west through the Great Lakes and northern United States. Like most turtles, northern map turtles are in decline. In Canada, this species is listed by COSEWIC as a species of special concern.

Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina

Description: The snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in Canada, with adults usually weighing between 4.6 – 16 kg. The shell is light brown to black in colour and the distinctive serrated tail is crocodilian in appearance and the same length as, or longer than, the shell. On land the snapping turtle can become defensive, and its sharp beak and strong jaws can cause injury if harassed, though in the water it generally will swim away to escape danger and is not known to bite swimmers. Females build nests in May or June in gravel, sand, soil or mulch. Turtles seen on land or crossing roads at this time or year are usually females searching for egg-laying sites. A single clutch can contain between 20-40 eggs, resembling ping-pong balls.

Population and Distribution: The snapping turtle occurs from the Maritimes west into southern Saskatchewan and parts of southern Alberta, with isolated populations in New Brunswick, though it is primarily limited to the southern part of Ontario. It is found in areas of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The snapping turtle’s range is contracting, and COSEWIC lists it as a species of special concern.

THREATS TO SURVIVAL

The major threat to these turtle species is humans. Their nesting areas are often beaches, where recreational activities can cause high egg mortality. Adults are often killed or injured by collisions with boats, while water pollution and urban and agricultural development along shorelines threaten their habitat. Predators such as raccoons and foxes are also taking a toll, wiping out all the nests at one Ontario location in 2004. Egg collection for the pet trade and poaching for consumptive use are also threats to these turtle species.

SPECIES RECOVERY

Recovery teams have been studying the distribution and status of turtle populations in Ontario and Quebec and recovery strategies are in place. Through the Canadian Collection, Wildlife Preservation Canada is supporting Ryan M. Bolton who, since 2004, has been studying nesting requirements and characteristics of these turtles. By translocating turtle nests to different locations on the nesting beach, providing large-scale predator exclosures, and artificially incubating turtle nests, Ryan and his team have been working hands-on to build the numbers of these declining turtle populations. From 2007 to 2010, 280 of these turtle nests were protected, which resulted in 2,835 hatchlings successfully entering the ecosystem.