For the second year, the non-profit, Nature Conservancy of Canada, is encouraging residents of the province of Quebec to look out for turtles on the road and to report sightings online. A website called carapace.ca has been created to collect data about turtle deaths, to identify roads that present a high risk, and to explain how to help a turtle in danger on the road. Carapace is the French word for shell.
Turtles go looking for food, love and a new habitat between May and October. (Simon Pelletier)
Turtles are on the move in Quebec between May and October looking for food, a new habitat, mates and, in June, for a place to lay their eggs. They can sometimes be seen digging in the sand or gravel on the shoulder of roads. This is not a winning strategy.
Many turtle species are endangered in Canada and the conservancy has taken steps to acquire land to safeguard important habitats. It builds relationships with landowners and manages wetlands to help provide turtles with ideal conditions so they may thrive.
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