Turtles are nothing short of amazing! These ancient reptiles are champions of resilience and play a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy. In Ontario’s wetlands, turtles help maintain balance by controlling aquatic vegetation and acting as nature’s clean-up crew, scavenging decaying matter. If you spend enough time in the BoQ, you’re bound to spot these important residents of the region.
Slow, steady, and right at home—get to know our local turtles.
The Midland Painted turtle is a real head-turner, with its vibrant red and orange markings along the sides of its carapace—its upper shell. No other turtle in Ontario has such a dazzling display! As one of three painted turtle subspecies in Canada (and one of two in Ontario), it’s the only painted turtle you’ll spot in the Bay of Quinte region. When winter rolls around, this turtle gets its beauty sleep by brumating, which is like hibernation but for cold-blooded critters. It slows down its metabolism and absorbs oxygen through special tissues, allowing it to stay tucked safely beneath the ice for months without breathing!
The Northern Map turtle gets its name from its shell’s map-like patterns, which help it blend in with its freshwater home—whether it’s a river or a lake. Females are noticeably larger than males, often growing nearly twice their size, with powerful jaws built for crushing mollusks, including the invasive zebra mussel.
The Eastern Musk turtle, aka the “stinkpot,” may be small, but it packs a punch with its stinky defence mechanism! When threatened, it can release a foul-smelling musk from glands near its shell, sending predators running. It’s a perfect reminder that even the tiniest creatures have clever ways of protecting themselves. These little guys reach sexual maturity in just 5-9 years—pretty quick compared to other Ontario turtles.
The Snapping turtle is a living relic from the age of dinosaurs, retaining its prehistoric appearance and powerful, beak-like jaws. It is the largest reptile in Canada and can grow to almost half a metre in length! Still, survival isn’t easy. It takes 15-20 years for snapping turtles to reach sexual maturity. Like all turtles, hatchling mortality is high, taking thousands of eggs for just one turtle to reach adulthood. Even small increases in adult deaths can seriously mess with their populations. They might look mean, but snapping turtles are actually quite laid-back and prefer, like most wildlife, to be left alone.
The Blanding’s turtle is hard to miss with its bright yellow chin and throat, though its high-domed shell gives it away even when its cheerful face is out of sight. And speaking of faces, its upturned mouth creates the cutest, perpetual grin. These semi-aquatic wanderers are true adventurers, making the longest overland journeys of any Ontario turtle—sometimes covering several kilometres to reach their seasonal habitats. They’re also remarkably long-lived, often reaching over 80 years in the wild!
HOW TO HELP SAFELY
If you see a turtle on the road during your visit, here’s how to help safely:
1. Ensure Your Safety First
Pull over to a safe spot where you won’t endanger yourself or other drivers. Turn on your hazard lights to alert others.
2. Move the Turtle in the Right Direction
Always move the turtle in the direction it is heading—turning it around might cause it to try crossing again.
3. Pick It Up Correctly
For most turtles, grab the sides of their shell with both hands and carry them low to the ground.
Do not grab snapping turtles by the tail—it can injure them. Instead, gently slide them onto a car mat or flat surface and drag them across the road, or carefully lift them by the rear edge of the shell.
4. Never Relocate the Turtle
Turtles have strong homing instincts and will try to return to their original area, even at significant risk.
5. Stay Calm and Patient
If the turtle resists or seems slow, that’s okay—they’re naturally cautious. Just give it time to adjust and finish crossing safely.
6. Advocate for Turtles
If you frequently see turtles on a particular road, consider contacting local wildlife organizations or authorities about adding “Turtle Crossing” signs to alert drivers.
As ectotherms (cold-blooded animals), turtles depend on their environment to regulate their body temperature. They bask on sunny rocks, logs, or even warm gravel to soak up heat. A sunny day stroll to the Turtle Pond along Belleville’s Waterfront Trail will have you spotting dozens of tanning turtles. Temperature also plays a fascinating role in egg development—hatching success and, for some species, even the gender of the hatchlings depends on it (females develop at warmer temperatures).
Turtle nests face their own hurdles, with predators like raccoons and foxes raiding most nests soon after eggs are laid. Yet, even though only a few hatchlings survive to adulthood, those that do become remarkably successful—they lay larger clutches of eggs more frequently as they grow older, helping replenish populations.
While human activity has contributed to some of the challenges turtles face, there’s good news: we have the power to help! When we act as responsible and respectful travellers by protecting wetlands, managing predator populations, and supporting conservation efforts, we can ensure these resilient creatures continue to thrive, keeping our ecosystems vibrant and healthy for generations to come.
CONTACT US
The Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board is a public-private Destination Marketing and Management Organization with a mandate of marketing tourism and resident attraction for the partners of Belleville, Brighton, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Napanee, Quinte Home Builders’ Association, and Quinte West.
BoQ HEADQUARTERS
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11 Bay Bridge Road,
Belleville, ON K8P 3P6
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The Bay of Quinte RMB Land Acknowledgement
The Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board is committed to acknowledging, appreciating and understanding the Indigenous peoples’ historic connection to this land and to raising awareness by building relationships in collaboration with Indigenous partners and communities.
We recognize and acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Mississauga, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee which includes the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) with whom we work in direct partnership with.
This partnership focuses on the common goal of celebrating the region with the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka who are equal partners within the organization and at the Board of Directors table contributing to the mandate and operations.
This mandate includes listening to, learning from, and collaborating with the Kenhtè:ke Kanyen’kehá:ka and actively incorporating their culture and heritage into the practice of responsible destination marketing and management of the region.
We understand that this land acknowledgement is only a small step towards the larger process of reparations and reconciliation.
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