Ontario Nature Blog

Happy Halloween! Bats have a bad rap, especially around this time of year. Thanks to Dracula, bats are seen as thirsty, bloodsucking creatures of the night but these harmless mammals play a vital role in sustaining the balance of ecosystems across the globe. Bats are amazing animals. They help us pollinate important food crops and ...

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This spring, we set out to get the inside scoop on the secret lives of reptiles and amphibians. Despite garter snakes and green frogs being a common sight in many Ontario landscapes, there is still a lot to learn about our native herpetofauna. In Ontario, 75% of reptiles and 28% of amphibians are listed as ...

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This is the second installment of our Turtle Nest Blog Series: Why the turtle crossed the road & other FAQ’s about turtle nests. Read the first installment of the series.    3. (Continued…) I have come across a female turtle nesting somewhere other than on a road. There are a large number of predators (i.e. foxes, ...

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Turtles, often referred to as modern day dinosaurs, with their distinctive domed, bony shell, are easy to recognize. This unique armoured architecture provides turtles with protection from predators. However, despite their protective shells, seven of Ontario’s eight species of turtles are currently listed as species at-risk under the Ontario Endangered Species Act, 2007, and face ...

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This spring a snapping turtle found in Hamilton’s Cootes Paradise was confirmed to have been infected with ranavirus. This potentially devastating virus has killed numerous amphibians, but this is the first time a Canadian reptile has been infected. What causes ranavirus and how is it transmitted? Ranavirus is an infectious DNA virus known to infect ...

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