Kejimkujik

Blanding's turtle

© Kejimkujik N.P.

Blanding's turtle has been classified as a threatened species in Nova Scotia.

The turtles grow about 22 centimetres long and have a dark green dome-shaped shell with yellow flecks. The underside of the chin and neck is yellow. A freshwater species, it lives in shallow waters of lakes, ponds, streams and bogs.

Nova Scotia has two populations of Blanding's turtles — in Kejimkujik National Park and at nearby McGowan Lake. While the areas are close to each other, movement between populations has not been observed. A genetic variation exists between the two populations.

Blanding's turtles are studied in Kejimkujik National Park with park staff recording all sightings. Individual turtles are captured and their shells marked with notches before they are released. Movements of adult turtles are also followed by radio-tracking. The turtles are observed to determine the size of the population and to discover the areas inhabited by individual turtles. The current adult population in the park is under 150.

Some females might travel three kilometres to reach a suitable nesting site. They tend to return to the same place to nest. Young turtles do not mature until they are over 20 years of age. Many do not make it into adulthood.

Threats to Blanding's turtles include nest flooding, the impact of park development of facilities on nesting sites and raccoon predation on nests and young. Park officers discovered that over 80 per cent of nests were being predated every year. In 1997, only 12 hatchlings survived. The nests are now being protected. In 2000, 91 hatchlings survived.