© Lora Denis
July 5, 2011–John Urquhart
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)•Reptiles and Amphibians•Stewardship and restoration
Snapping turtle hatchling © Scott Gillingwater
People often ask Ontario Nature staff for advice about how to deal with situations that they encounter in nature. Whether putting out a bird feeder, planting native flowers or grasses, or choosing not to cut down the trees on your property, people are on the front lines of local conservation efforts more often than you ...
Ontario’s reptiles and amphibians are protected under the federal Species at Risk Act and these provincial acts: Endangered Species Act, 2007, Planning Act, under which the Provincial Policy Statement is issued Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. These laws, as well as how they protect species and their habitats, are described below.
Question: How is it that the Ontario government can include snapping turtles on the provincial endangered species list while at the same time allowing, and even encouraging, the hunting of these long-lived reptiles? Staff ecologist John Urquhart wondered this too, and put the issue to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) last December. The response, ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority