How this Caldwell First Nation youth is helping to save turtles in Point Pelee

For the last four years, Sydney Simpson has been spending turtle nesting season walking along roadways and trails in Point Pelee.

Simpson, a resource management technician at the park, says it's all part of a "turtle tracking program," the aim of which is to save the turtles — both adults and hatchlings.

The program — a partnership between Caldwell First Nation and Parks Canada — entails "listening to reports about turtles on the road, we also search for turtles and nests on the road, and we protect them as we go," Simpson said. 

"We want to have a good understanding of the population of the turtles in the park, to understand where we need to protect more [and] where we need to do more."

According to Simpson, there are several species of turtles inside the Point Pelee National Park. These include Blanding's turtles, snapping turtles, map turtles, musk turtles, spiny softshell turtles, painted turtles and spotted turtles.

Road mortality 'a big threat' to turtle populations

Simpson, who is a Caldwell First Nation member, is also part of the Turtle Clan, which makes it part of her duty to protect turtles.

She explains that turtles like to nest in "a nice sunny area above the water line with good drainage," so they'll come right up to the side of roadways.

"Our biggest worry is them laying on the other side of the road where they have to cross to the nest and then walk back over the road," she said.

"Turtles don't mature until their teenage years, so about 16-17. So, that's why we really need to protect our mature turtles in the park, that's why road mortality is such a big threat to our turtle populations, because those are our nesting turtles that can lay eggs for their lifetime.

"So, when those turtles get run over on the road, we really lose a big part of our ability to produce the next generation of turtles."

Simpson wants people to be on the lookout for turtles crossing the road when driving in the area.

Part of the tracking program also entails building boxes around nests with eggs, and taking hatchlings directly to the marsh to protect them from predation from "raccoons, coyotes and foxes," Simpson said.  

'We consider them to be sacred'

Caldwell First Nation Chief Nikki Van Oirschot says the turtle tracking program is an important one.

"It's super important to us just because the work is meaningful, because it's our traditional territory, but also because turtles aren't just species to us, we consider them to be sacred and sacred relatives in some respect,"  Van Oirschot said.

"In our culture, turtles are also central to our creation story. So, we consider them to carry wisdom just in their way of life, and we have a responsibility to honour and protect our sacred kin and all things living and all ecosystems around us.

"Turtles carry lessons for us, turtles are one of our clans … and the turtle teaches us patience, protection, resilience, and those are qualities that we strive to carry not only in leadership, but also in our community life," added Van Oirschot.