Building a safe haven with Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park’s artificial turtle nesting site

Today’s post comes from Rose Brandt, a Discovery student at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park. 

If you’ve been to Bagwa Day-Use Beach at Samuel de Champlain, you might’ve wondered what that seemingly random pile of sand beside the beach is all about.

That would be our artificial turtle nesting site!

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Turtles: the ultimate survivors

In today’s post, Discovery Leader Olivia Bennett discusses turtles’ impact on Grundy Lake Provincial Park — and vice versa!

When I first started working at Grundy Lake, I was talking turtles with our park superintendent when someone asked, “Why do you care so much about turtles here?”

The answer is simple: while the park boasts a healthy turtle population and quality habitat, other areas are not so lucky.

This is only the beginning of why we should all care about turtles.

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Snapping Turtles

Today’s post comes from David LeGros, a Natural Heritage Education Specialist at Algonquin Provincial Park.

I spent most of my youth in rubber boots and obsessed with nature. I was always looking for interesting animals and plants.

There are a few creatures then, just like now, that always inspire me.

Top of my list: the Snapping Turtle.

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Shell-ebrate Ontario’s turtles with our new merchandise line

Last spring, we asked you to help us protect Ontario’s eight turtles species, all of which are species at risk.

With just one year of the Turtle Protection Project under our belts, staff are already seeing amazing results.

This year, we’re excited to debut a new way to support turtle conservation in Ontario Parks: our Turtle Protection Project merchandise line.

Let’s take a look at how you can help Ontario’s turtles AND look good while doing it.

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Who makes the Ontario Parks all-star wildlife hockey team?

Today’s article was written by Connor Oke, Ontario Parks’ marketing intern.

Canadians know that among the many things that make our country awesome, two things stand out: our vast expanses of beautiful, untouched wilderness…

…and our passion for hockey.

So why not both at the same time?

As hockey season grinds on, we did some scouting of our own. Here are the critters and creatures we’ve selected for the Ontario Parks All-Star Hockey Team!

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Love at first snap: caring for Spike at Emily Provincial Park

In our “Behind the Scenes” series, Discovery Program staff across the province share a backstage glimpse of their favourite programs and projects. Today’s post comes from Rosemary Minns from Emily Provincial Park.

Emily Provincial Park is a lovely place. Plenty of docks to fish, beaches to swim, and large campsites. I was extremely excited to work as a Discovery student at Emily. There was one catch to this job…

…I had to learn to take care of a Snapping Turtle. 

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Spring is turtle season at Grundy Lake

Many Ontario Parks have their “signature” wildlife: commonly-encountered and charismatic animals that most park visitors hope to catch a glimpse of during their stay.

Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is named for the iconic Woodland Caribou.  Murphys Point Provincial Park is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the elusive Gray Ratsnake. Rondeau Provincial Park is the place to see the rare Prothonotary Warbler.

But did you know Grundy Lake Provincial Park is the place to see a Blanding’s Turtle?

Continue reading Spring is turtle season at Grundy Lake