What Can You Do?
If you are interested in volunteering, learning more, or being more involved with us please sign up to be a Turtles Kingston member!
Slow Down
A major cause of death in turtles is road mortality. Slow down, watch out, and brake for turtles that you see on the roads. You can even take it a step further and help the turtle cross the road, if it is safe to do so.
Crossing Signs
Take note of roads you frequent that have high turtle injury and mortality rates that don’t currently have turtle crossing signs. Contact your local Municipality / Township to let them know what locations that need additional road signage to help turtles.
This year (2023) we are targeting the Township of South Frontenac to help consolidate locations that are in need of turtle crossing signs. Help us collect data by filling in our form.
Support Turtles Kingston
Turtles Kingston is a grass-roots community group that operates thanks to the generous donations from people like you. Our coordinators and director are all volunteers and donations go to supporting and growing turtle programs.
We could not do our work without the generous support of Turtle Warriors like yourself. Thank you for helping make our community a better place for turtles.
Report Turtle Sightings
The more scientists know about turtles, the better we can protect them. Specifically, knowing where they are found can help us to protect their habitats. If you find a turtle report your sighting on iNaturalist or with the adopt-a-pond app (Turtle Tally). Beyond these apps, keep any turtle location private as, unfortunately, there are poachers that target Ontario turtles.
Do you Live in Kingston and come across turtles on roads? Help us get a better understanding of turtles on roads by filling out our Road Monitoring Form.
We do not encourage you to help a turtle if it is unsafe for you others. Learn more about road safety here. By participating in our Turtles Road Monitoring Data program you understand that you are acting of your own free will and that you will not hold Turtles Kingston liable for anything that happens if you decide to help a turtle.
Transport Injured / Dead Turtles
Injured turtles can be healed and dead turtles may not be dead or may be carrying eggs that can be saved! You can be a big part of keeping turtle populations alive by transporting injured and/or dead turtles to one of our 9 temporary holding locations or directly to Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre or the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre.
Volunteer as a Driver
Turtles Kingston relies on volunteer drivers to help transport injured and dead turtles from our temporary holding locations in Kingston to Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre (Napanee) or even to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (Peterborough) where the turtles can be looked after.
We recruit new volunteer drivers every March and April. Sign up to be a volunteer driver through our Turtle Kingston Membership platform.
Protect Turtle Nests
If you come across a turtle nest, help protect it from predators by covering it with a nest protector. You can purchase or make a nest protector to place on your own property. Note, if you are placing a nest protector on public or private lands, you need permission from the landowner. Place the nest protector with your contact information attached, then email the landowner to confirm you can leave it there. If they object, then return and remove the nest protector.
Contact your Public Works Department
Request that your Public Works Department consider rescheduling road maintenance near wetlands and other water bodies to outside the turtle nesting season (May through July) as well as the hatchling season (March-June and August-October). This discussion could also include consideration of halting applications of any pesticides and herbicides in wetland areas. The City of Kingston and other towns can be used as an example of successful changes being made by the Public Works Department for the benefit of turtles.