If you have been travelling around in the Land Between lately, you have probably noticed large web-covered branches on several trees. If you have thought to yourself, “What’s the deal with those caterpillars?”, you are not alone. In late summer, broadleaf trees by the road are covered in what looks like white cotton candy. These intricate tents are homes for communities of Fall Webworms (Hyphantria cunea) – caterpillars that work together to build webby homes. There is no need for concern, as these insects do not cause any serious damage. 

The Fall Webworm is often confused with the Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum), which emerges earlier in the summer. They are both defoliating insects that live in forests and create those big white tent webs you see in the trees. The Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria) is a related species that creates a silken mat on tree trunks rather than a large tent or web. Contrary to popular belief, these insects are actually native to Ontario, and play important roles in our ecosystems. 

The easiest way to tell Fall Webworm apart from Eastern Tent Caterpillars is by looking at where they build their webs. Eastern Tent Caterpillars build their webs in the crooks of branches, while Fall Webworms form their webs on the ends of branches. As the name suggests, Fall Webworms also emerge later in the season than Tent Caterpillars which form their webs in late summer.

The Fall Webworm overwinters in cocoons in pupae form, and the small white adult moths emerge in the spring. Female moths lay their eggs on the underside of leaves, which then hatch into hungry, light-coloured caterpillars. These caterpillars are the ones who build those large webs we are so familiar with. The webbing gives them warmth and shelter as they feed on leaves. They extend the web outwards as they eat off more and more of the tree.

Tent Caterpillar larvae hatch in May, then spend the next few weeks growing and feasting on leaves from broadleaf trees. When they are not eating, they are protected in their tent homes, and then follow their own silk trails back to feeding sites each day. After about six weeks of eating leaves, the fuzzy caterpillars build themselves a cocoon and metamorphosize into brown-coloured moths. The female moth will lay a cluster of eggs directly onto a tree branch or trunk before she dies.

While homeowners or business owners do not like the look of defoliated trees or the mess that the caterpillars create with their droppings (aka. frass), neither Fall Webworm nor Tent Caterpillars cause serious long-term harm. Most trees are able to recover and re-grow the leaves that have been lost. What’s more, the Fall Webworm does not eat new buds, and instead feeds on the leaves that will soon be dropped in the fall anyway!

Caterpillars go through a natural boom-and-bust cycle, and are controlled by many natural predators and diseases. For instance, Black-Billed Cuckoos, squirrels, and black bears all love to eat caterpillars. Bats and frogs also feed on the adult moths. Forest Tent Caterpillars can cause a bit more damage than the Fall Webworms, with outbreaks occurring every 10-12 years. The outbreaks can spread as far as millions of hectares. Even still, only trees that have been previously injured are at risk of dying from losing a few more leaves. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry tracks the insects’ disturbance patterns, and may intervene when populations become very concentrated.

In addition to these native caterpillars, you may have seen or heard about the outbreak of another, more problematic species, the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar). The Gypsy Moth is a defoliating insect native to Europe, that began seriously spreading into Ontario forests in the 1980s. This invasive species prefers Oak trees, but will eat most tree species, and is able to defoliate entire trees and shrubs over large areas. They overwinter in the egg stage on tree bark, then hatch in the spring. Gypsy Moths do NOT build tent webs.

This summer (2020), Eastern Ontario has been experiencing the worst outbreak of Gypsy Moths since the 1980s. It has become concerning because their caterpillars are now infecting coniferous trees like White Pines and Cedars – when conifers are infected, they are unable to regenerate leaves in the same way that broadleaf trees can. An article in the Belleville Intelligencer suggests that property owners can help control the spread by scraping off egg nests or placing burlap around infected trees to trap caterpillars (see original source for further details).

So what should you do about the tents you see in all those trees? In short, nothing. Fall Webworms are generally not a cause for concern. In fact, you can marvel at the structural integrity of their silk, and appreciate the teamwork required to build these homes! 

A Summary of the Four Caterpillar Species:

 

Species:	Behaviour:	ID features:
Fall Webworm	Native to Ontario, many natural predators Tent formed on tips of branches, almost any broadleaf tree Feeds inside tent – built in late summer Overwinter as pupae in leaves	Larvae: fuzzy, cream coloured caterpillars with thin yellow stripe on back Adults: small white moth with fuzzy body
Eastern Tent Caterpillar	Native to Ontario, many natural predators Leaves tent to feed, and returns at night Feeds in spring, moths emerge June/ July Egg masses on twigs throughout winter	Larvae: fuzzy caterpillar with blue lines and solid white stripe Adults: small tan moth with dark stripes on wings
Forest Tent Caterpillar	Native to Ontario Cyclic populations with many natural predators No tent formed Feeds in spring	Larvae: fuzzy caterpillar with blue and black striped body with white dots Adults: small tan moth with dark stripes
Gypsy Moth	Native to Europe No tent formed Feeds in groups spring, almost any tree Egg masses on bark throughout winter	Larvae: hairy body with blue and red dots Adults: white or brown moths with brown wing markings

Written by Emma Halupka, September 2020

Images:

1. A Fall Webworm tent web. (Photo: Emma Halupka)
2. Adult Fall Webworm moth (Photo credit: Katja Schulz. Attribution required)
3. Eastern Tent Caterpillars in their tent web. (Photo: Jacob W. Frank. Public domain)
4. Gypsy moth. (Photo: Ontario Government. Source)

 

Sources:

• Baldwin, Derek. 2020. Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years. The Belleville Intelligencer. (Link).
• Crawford, Blair. 2020. ‘We’re getting hammered’: Gypsy moth outbreak devastating Eastern Ontario forests. Ottawa Citizen. (Link).
• Government of Canada. 2013. Tent Caterpillars. (Link). 
• Government of Ontario. 2020. Gypsy Moths (Link). 
• Natural Resources Canada. 2015. Fall Webworm. (Link).
• Ontario Parks. 2018. Blog: What’s With all the Caterpillars? (Link).
• Scholwalter, TD, and D.R. Ring. 2017. Biology and Management of the Fall Webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 8, Issue 1. (Link).
• Schowalter, TD. 2017. Biology and Management of the Forest Tent Caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 8, Issue 1. (Link).

 

The Ontario Headwaters Institute (OHI) leads the WaterScape Program to secure enhanced protection for Ontario’s biodiversity, resilient landscapes, and healthy waters. See details here

OHI recently held round tables in it’s third project/phase to glean input into ways forward for healthier communities and living ecosystems based on integrated watershed management. OHI released a report on the “WaterScape III” and at the same time, launched a new, comprehensive and on-going WaterScape program. The Land Between is an implementation partner in this program, and together we are asking individuals and supporters to endorse the Declaration below.

The mission of the new WaterScape Program is to facilitate community discussion on the nine strategic recommendations from WaterScape III, which are the basis for a Declaration to Preserve Ontario’s Ecological Integrity and which we invite you to support.

The key aspects of the Declaration are to:

Preserve Ontario’s Biodiversity by

• Updating both the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy and its action plan Biodiversity: It’s in Our Nature;
• Establishing natural heritage targets for all of Ontario; and,
• Requiring natural heritage system planning in municipal official plans across Ontario.

Maintain Resilient Landscapes by

• Using the watershed as the appropriate scale for planning for all uses across the province;
• Re-evaluating the implementation of the government’s housing action plan; and,
• Developing a sustainability lens for land use planning and management.

Protect Healthy Waters by

• Transitioning Ontario to Integrated Watershed Management (IWM);
• Ensuring a strong, on-going role for conservation authorities in watershed management / IWM; and,
• Creating Regional Water Boards to identify ways to improve IWM and public engagement.

You can see the full Declaration and support it at https://waterscape.ca/declaration/.

You can also download the Declaration Waterscape-Declaration-on-Ecological-Integrity

 

As the early dawn breaks it’s first light through your window and you wake to the sounds of birds who have already gotten a head start on their day, a wave of daily tasks and issues rush into your mind.  Do you hear the birds? Who is greeting you this morning? To know the bird outside your window is a privilege we often take for granted. The general disconnection between people and their local ecosystems has allowed many of these species to quietly disappear unnoticed, but with huge consequence. With no understanding of their value, or presence, it is easy to build our world over-top of the lives of others without understanding our contribution to the damage of ecosystems and biodiversity. Every animal can teach us a lesson about enjoying the present, as well as our place in an incredibly intricate and delicate ecosystem in which we most assuredly play a role every day. To watch a Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) dance in the pollen from your garden unites us to the soil, roots, flowers, insects, birds, larger mammals and ultimately ourselves. 

 Who is your neighbour? What is their name? This is the most basic, fundamental part of getting to know someone. Knowing their name is to recognize their existence as an individual.

Like many other birds, the Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) returns to the same nesting ground every year after making the inconceivable journey from Mexico. To observe this bird in your yard, year after year is not only a marvel of agility and colour, but of the tenacity of an ecosystem that is composed of a complex order of individuals that each rely on the other for survival. Knowing this individual is the basis of caring and stewardship.

Other birds like the Ravens or crows, bluejays and chickadees are the same individuals or descendants from the same families that occupied that space, and have called it home for generations.  This is the same for many mammals; the bears that migrate through your yard have used it as part of their territory, finding food and teaching their young the same skills in each habitat for years.  

The problem with living in a bubble without observing and getting to know what is around you and how all these beings interconnect, is that this lifestyle is not sustainable. We are running out of resources to upkeep the life we want. A major contributing factor to the mindset of dominion, is the idea that the Earth is for human enjoyment and expenditure. Also we have been led to believe that “one individual will not make a difference, for worse or for better”, and await large-scale change. This approach has proven to be unreliable and ineffective. Our disconnection starts with ignorance (as innocent as it may be).  We do not care for those we do not know exist and which we do not understand. Therefore passion and connection to local wildlife is essential to facilitate conservation and sustainability. This starts with curiosity and exploration.

 A fellow wildlife artist and ecologist –and a personal role model of mine, Robert Bateman, has spent a lifetime painting, teaching and sharing the wonders of nature to people of all ages. His a philosophy and mission is explained in his book, “Think Like A Mountain”:

 “We’ve lost our respect for other species partly because we don’t even know their names. Names matter. Any teacher knows how students value being recognized by name. Hunter-gatherer peoples in the tropical world can identify thousands of species of plants and animals, but the average North American can manage only ten…yet can recognize about a thousand corporate logos.  We need to reverse this situation fast –and the best way to do this is through education” (Bateman, 27 Think Like A Mountain).

 The good news is that the solution to this issue is fun! To slow down and view the world with the inquisitiveness of a child; to marvel and the small miracles taking place in one’s own backyard is a thrill that never gets old. Wait and watch the fireflies before you cut down and “clean up” the slopes and shores on your property. Look up and observe the night skies before you light them up with unnecessary glares from night lights. Patience has its rewards; watch the deer before you feed them to observe their individual grace of survival. Even the bear chooses your yard to dwell or traverse, and it will teach you about medicines. No animal is preoccupied with the idea of harming us. Instead, they are humble, and timid survivors in their own rite. 

Here are some tips and ideas on how to re-connect with wildlife, all of which can be done in beautiful solitude, or as fun group activities:

 Exploration and discovery

We all know and love the excitement of learning something new that inspires us. This is the spark that ignites passion, learning and sharing.

–   Learn the names of the plants, insects and animals you discover in your area. Starting with one or two individuals that catch your attention. This can be done using field guides (books or online), identification apps on your phone, such as iNaturalist, and/or internet searches from reliable sources such as your local conservation authority.

–   What are they doing? Observe the actions and unique character of these individuals. Even for a minute or two at a time. Each individual has a unique and quirky personality that can be very entertaining!

–   Get outside! Exploring familiar and new places creates lifelong memories, and has been proven to benefit overall wellbeing.

 Recording your experiences and discoveries

Keeping a tally of the species you find is positively addicting. As you watch the numbers pile up, it is shocking to realise how much diversity we live amongst. Many field guides have checklists in the back, where you can see the sheer amount of wildlife that could otherwise have been missed. What a shame that would be! The following are some record keeping options:

         –Journaling

         -Nature apps such as iNaturalist

         -Photography and social media such as an Instagram account

         -Checklist tallies

 

Creative Expression

Expressing the beauty of nature is irresistible. The artistic inspiration is endless.

         -Sketching/plein-air painting

         -Photography and video

         -Poetry and creative writing

         -Storytelling

         -Song writing and music making

         -Dance

 

By slowing down, and taking the time to learn about nature, our lives become rich in culture and community. The social connection to our spaces will enrich our lives as well as enable the protection of wildlife. Who is your neighbour? What are their names?

 Written by Stacey Kinder

 

Sources:

Bateman, R. and Archbold, R., 2002. Thinking Like A Mountain. Toronto: Penguin Books, p.27.

 

 

Here at the Land Between Charity, a.k.a. Turtle Guardians head quarters, we have welcomed our first baby turtles, “hatchlings”!! The first babies to hatch in our incubator were three Painted Turtle on August 7^th. Since then we have welcomed some more Painted Turtles, many Snapping Turtles and some precious Blanding’s Turtles. Here are some photos of our hatchlings:

Where did all these eggs come from? Earlier this year in June, the Land Between / Turtle Guardians staff were very busy patrolling the roads of Haliburton Country and Peterborough for nesting turtles. When we were lucky enough to find nests far off the road and road shoulder, we could install wire nest protector cages to keep them safe from hungry predators like skunks and racoons. However, most of the nests we found were laid close to the road and road shoulder, and in these cases we carefully dug up the eggs to incubate them over the summer and release them after hatching. When nests are too close to the road, nest protector cages can’t be used because a vehicle could drive over it and get damaged.

We were very lucky to get special training and then permission from OMNR and OMECP to carry out our nest excavations and egg incubation this summer. It is illegal to dig up turtle eggs of any species in Ontario without a government issued permit.

Our staff went through special training from our partners at Scales Nature Park for how to safely dig up eggs, transport them, and care for them during incubation and after hatching. In total we had 960 eggs in our incubator this summer and another 100 Blanding’s Turtle eggs that we excavated were incubated by our partners at Scales Nature Park.

When a turtle first starts to break out of its shell, we say that it is “pipping.” The baby will use its egg tooth to repeatedly peck the egg, and often the first body part to emerge or be visible will be the babies head. So far, we have noticed that this process can take up to 2 days before the hatchling completely emerges from its shell! When they first emerge from the shell they will have their yolk sacs still very visible on their plastrons (belly shell). You can think of their yolk sac sort of like their belly button. This is the place where the growing turtle embryo was attached to the shell when it was still in its egg. We give all our turtle babies the chance to absorb their yolk sacs before releasing them back to the wild. This gives them the chance to gain the nutrients from its yolk, and will make it easier for them to swim and travel when released back into nature.

Hatchlings are always released back in the area where we originally found their nest. We look for the closest shallow water body or wetland with lots of aquatic vegetation and slow or no water flow as the babies are not yet strong swimmers. We will space out the babies so they are not all in one spot and easy for a predator to come and gobble up.

What should you do if you find a hatchling?

Hatchlings from wild nests typically emerge at the end of August and all throughout September – so we could start to see them anytime. If you are lucky enough to find a hatchling you should bring it to the nearest wetland or shallow waterbody. In the case of hatchlings, the rule that applies to other turtles of always moving them in the direction they were travelling does not apply. This is because they have not yet created their mental maps and do not know where they are going. However, to keep populations healthy, and because it is likely that hatchlings have a mental imprint of their nesting site, they should be kept in nature and within 200 metres of where they are found. To give a hatchling its best chance it isn’t enough to simply move them off the road. They are so vulnerable to predation at their small size and can get dehydrated really easily, especially on pavement in the heat of the day. So, it is critical that they are moved to the nearest shallow water amongst lots of aquatic vegetation where they can easily hide and find things to eat. In no way should a hatchling be taken home as a pet as this is illegal, and also taking them out of nature for long periods or away from their native territory may result in difficulty of surviving in nature when reintroduced. Each turtle and each hatchling in nature gives us hope for the future. Also take pictures and locational information and let us know to help us track populations. But be careful of sharing locations with the public at large because hatchling poaching is on the rise in Ontario. Turtles have irreplaceable roles in maintaining biodiversity and all the flora and fauna found in our lakes and wetlands. Be turtley cool and save turtles.

 

 

Salamanders, the reclusive, lesser known cousins of frogs and toads, are among the cutest animals we have here in The Land Between. Often mistaken for lizards, salamanders are actually amphibians; they have moist skin, are usually small, and come in lots of fun colours and patterns.

Salamanders are usually found in damp, shady, forested areas such as under rocks, logs, and leaf litter, or in and around streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Here in The Land Between we have 7 different species of salamander: the Blue Spotted, Eastern Red-backed, Four-toed, Mudpuppy, Northern Two-lined, Red Spotted, and Spotted.

If you have been lucky enough to see a salamander in the wild, I hope you told it thank you (from all of us). Despite how little most of us see (and probably think about) these colorful creatures, they actually play a very critical role in regulating and maintaining the health of our terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems!

First off, salamanders are a nutritious source of food for many of our favorite species including birds, snakes, turtles, fish, and mammals! Because they are so small, salamanders are able to access food (such as the insects and other small creatures that live on/in the forest floor) that is out of reach for many other species.  Salamanders consume this hard to access prey, and in turn transform it into an energy source that is more readily accessible to other animals in the ecosystem.

Next, because salamanders are both predators and prey, they are excellent indicators of ecosystem health. If something changes in the environment and impacts salamander predators or prey, the salamander population will show signs of imbalance, potentially before the imbalance can be seen in the  predator or prey populations themselves. This allows scientists to look at one species to gain information about the health of an ecosystem as a whole.

Further, just like our turtle friends, some species of salamander disperse seeds as they move about and between their terrestrial and aquatic environments. For example, the seeds of Bur Marigold are known to be transported by some species of salamander during their spring migration.

Some species disperse more than just seeds! The Mudpuppy, the only completely aquatic salamander in Ontario, is the larval host of the Salamander Mussel – an endangered species and the only North American mussel known to use a vertebrate as its larval host (most species use fish).

Lastly, salamanders may indirectly impact the rate at which carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere. I know this sounds like a stretch, but bear with me here:

The leaves of deciduous trees are made of nearly 50% carbon. When these leaves are broken down by the insects and other creatures (detritivores) that live on the forest floor, that carbon is released into the atmosphere.

These detritivores are one of the preferred snacks of some species of salamander. So, the more salamanders in a forest (and in the case of the Eastern Red-backed Salamander, that can mean upwards of 2,500 salamanders per hectare), the less detritivores there are. The less detritivores there are, the more leaves are left intact, and the less carbon is released into the atmosphere!

Though many species of salamander in Ontario and around the world are believed to have healthy and stable populations, many are threatened with extinction. Here in Ontario, some of the most prevalent threats to salamanders are habitat loss (forests and wetlands), declining water quality, and road mortality.

Luckily, there are things we can do!  Here are some of the ways you can help keep common salamanders common, and mitigate the threats to at-risk species:

1. If you see a salamander on the road, if it is safe to do so, help it across. Just as when you help turtles, ensure you are moving the salamander in the direction it was heading.

 

2. Minimize salamander handling. Aside from helping them to cross the road, it is best to avoid handling salamanders as much as possible. This is because salamanders are very sensitive, and the oils, salts and chemicals (such as hand sanitizer, bug spray and sunscreen) on human hands can have negative impacts on their overall health.

 

3. If you are lucky enough to come across a salamander in your travels, consider reporting your sighting to iNaturalist. The more records we have of these shy species, the better we will be able to monitor their population health in the future.

 

4. Learn more about the salamanders you have near you! The more you learn, the more you can use your newfound knowledge and appreciation for these species to inspire your friends and family to care for them too.

 

Written by Siena Smith

 

Sources:

Davic, Robert D.; Welsh Jr., Hartwell H. 2004. On the ecological role of salamanders. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., Vol. 35: 405-434

• https://www.ontario.ca/page/salamander-mussel#:~:text=Where%20it’s%20been%20found%20in,River%20delta%20in%20Lake%20St.
• https://ontarionature.org/programs/citizen-science/reptile-amphibian-atlas/species/#salamanders
• https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/main/stories/2016/11/22/the-significance-of-salamanders-biology-professor-grant-brown.html#:~:text=They%20are%20prey%20to%20a,an%20indicator%20of%20ecosystem%20health.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/science/salamanders-hefty-role-in-the-forest.html
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/save-the-salamanders-1.4260174

 

 

The Land Between Charity is helping to install two receiver towers to help track bird (and animal) movements. This will support migration research and help bird conservation initiatives.

In these days of technological progress and advances, we at the Land Between look to embrace new and exciting ways to fuel conservation efforts in all aspects of our fieldwork. Be it using apps to input data instead of writing them on paper or using live video feeds to showcase the happenings within our office instead of daily newsletters, we acknowledge that certain technologies help to create a more connected and conserved world. As ambassadors to conservation science and a world with less human impacts, we strive to create a more connected and conserved world by staying current with these advances. As such, I would like to take this moment to tell you about an exciting project we are working on which is a relatively new expansion into the world of animal tracking; Motus towers.

Motus, coming from the Latin word for “motion”, is the name of a wildlife tracking system which uses a receiver and antenna affixed atop a tower to track the movement of animals tagged with special radio transmitters. This system allows researchers to consistently track animals (mostly birds), without the need to handle them on the ground after their initial capture. This program, run through Birds Canada, is one of the largest migratory animal tracking networks in the world. The network encourages collaboration between scientists and with conservation groups.

The Motus transmitter tags are extremely small. At around 0.2 grams, the smallest tags can be attached to dragonflies. In order to deploy the tags, the animal must be captured to take initial information (such as age, sex, weight, etc.) and affix the tag. 

Most tags are affixed via harnesses, but some are glued onto the skin or inserted into the animal via a small incision. Each method of affixion has its pros and cons in terms of animal care, but the more permanent options provide the longest tag retention and as such, the longest data transmission. All tags are composed of a transmitter and antenna, with the antenna extending freely off the rear of the animal to ensure no impact on daily life (see picture to right).

The tower itself is composed of a mast with one to three antennae, all of which face different directions and have a detection range of 10-20 kilometers based on antenna. These antennae pick up the transmitter signal from any transmitter that enters the 10-20 kilometer range, as long as the animal crosses the direction the antenna is facing. The information from the transmitter is then relayed into a receiver on the tower, which stores the information until it is downloaded. These towers can be outfitted with a solar panel and battery, or attached to a permanent power source to ensure constant power, and some can even have internet or cell tower capability to remotely send the data obtained instead of needing a technician to go to the tower to download the data every few months.

Since it began in 2012, Motus has extended to4 of the 7 continents, with 917 receiver stations and 323 projects using Motus towers (https://motus.org/data/numbers). In Ontario there are more than 50 receiver stations supporting several different projects, but there is a notable gap of receivers within Central Ontario. We are excited to announce that The Land Between is now working to extend the Motus tower network by placing two new towers within our bioregion!

These towers will help support existing projects by tracking the movement of birds-at-risk such as the Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Loggerhead Shrike, and the Grassland Sparrow. While we will not be tagging these birds ourselves or conducting our own project (perhaps in the future!), our towers will receive signals from birds tagged  from other projects. Think of our towers as supplemental data in areas these projects could not afford to place towers. Because of the cost of towers (upwards of $10,000 if fully outfitted with the best gadgets) we will strategically place two towers in areas where there are gaps in coverage. This will benefit all projects whose tagged animals will cross near our towers, and therefore help inform migration research.As you can see from this picture (where yellow dots represent receiver locations), there is a significant gap in receivers in our bioregion (red outline). We are hoping that by placing our two towers, we will help fill in that gap and that others will follow suit.

Due to the high precision of these towers, as well as the ability to track animals in their area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with little to no human disturbance, the Land Between sees Motus towers as a positive step towards a non-invasive, animal tracking world.

To learn more about Motus towers, please visit motus.org or feel free to contact us at info@thelandbetween.ca if you have any questions or have observed a species-at-risk bird on your property!

This majority of funding for this project is being supported by the Community Nominated Priority Places Project of Environment Canada and Climate Change, and by generous donors. Not all costs are fully covered- To succeed we need your help! If you can help us, in any amount, we would be very grateful! Visit www.thelandbetween.ca to donate.

Written by Xavier Tuson and Emma Halupka

References:

All images take from motus.org

If you are familiar with turtles and practiced in the art of helping them across roads, you are probably aware that turtle conservation groups and experts urge rescuers to move turtles across the road in the direction they are facing when found. Why is this? When you find a turtle crossing a road coming from a lush wetland, heading towards a dry rocky outcrop, doesn’t it make the most sense to turn it around and place it back in the wetland? Even though your natural instincts might tell you to turn a travelling turtle around and put them in a more “turtle-friendly” habitat, this will actually result in the turtle having to cross the road again when they inevitably turn around to head back the way they were going. To understand why turtles will turn back around if you take them off course, you need to know how turtles navigate.

Turtles are excellent navigators within the areas they are familiar with, ie. their “home ranges.” These home ranges include their yearly nesting site (if female), their overwintering grounds, and the wetlands they frequent during their active season. In the early years of their lives turtles will create ‘mental maps’ of their home areas, and it appears that as turtles age they lose this ability to create new mental maps (Caldwell and Nams 2006). Adult turtles tend to rely on their internal compass to navigate through their home range that they know well, and have previously ‘mapped’ (Caldwell and Nams 2006).

There is scientific research that suggests a turtle’s internal compass could be one of two things, or possibly even a combination of both. Turtles could be using the position of the sun in the sky to navigate, or possibly they are able to sense the earth’s magnetic fields; both of these methods would help them know where north is. Scientists have confirmed some Sea Turtle species have magnetite in their brains which allows the animals to sense magnetic fields (Fuentes, et al. 2004). In the case of Ontario freshwater turtle species such as Blanding’s Turtles and Snapping Turtles, researchers have found evidence for both the sun and the magnetic field compass mechanisms (Pappas et al. 2013, Landler et al. 2015, Krentz et al. 2018). More research is needed to determine if both methods are being used by freshwater turtles here, or if some species are using only one.

So what do turtles’ mental maps and internal compasses have to do with always making sure to help them across roads in the direction they are facing? Well, everything! Because turtles are such good navigators, when you find them crossing a road, they are heading some where specific – don’t think for a second they are just wandering or confused!! They know where they are going – even if they are heading somewhere that seems to you like poor turtle habitat. 

Ontario turtles are capable of long distance travel over land, and some individuals have very large home ranges with nesting sites far from the wetlands they use during the summer months, which can be separate and further still from the wetland they might use for their overwintering (Pettit et al. 1995, Brown and Brooks 2004). For example, Snapping Turtles in Algonquin Park have been found to travel up to 3.9 km between August and late September when they head back to their overwintering grounds, and can return within 1 m of the exact spot they hibernated the year before (Brown and Brooks 2004). What amazing proof of these superb navigators in action! This helps put into perspective the turtle you might find heading into a forest away from a perfectly good wetland – this turtle could be travelling to another wetland you can’t see via this forest, or potentially their nesting site is a sandy bank along a small creek on the other side of the forest. Who knows? We don’t, but the turtle definitely does.

An important implication of turtles making mental maps of their home ranges when they are young and using their using internal compasses to navigate after this, is that if an adult turtle is relocated far outside their home range it can be very disorienting and stressful. A study done in Nova Scotia with Eastern Painted Turtles (which are closely related to the subspecies of Painted we find here in Ontario – Midland and Western), found that 60 adult turtles removed from their home ranges did not successfully navigate towards water when released in new habitat (Caldwell and Nams 2006). Instead, they travelled in a straight line in one consistent direction after being released until being recaptured at the end of the 24-hour study period. This suggests that when adult freshwater turtles are relocated to a new habitat outside of their home range, they may not be able to imprint on this new area as they did when they were younger with their home range. The adult turtles in this study seemed to follow an internal compass, but without a mental map of the unfamiliar area, they just travelled in one single direction without any way to navigate towards water.

The only exception to the rule of always helping a turtle across the road in the direction they are travelling, is if you are lucky enough to find a hatchling (a.k.a. brand new baby turtle). Ontario turtle hatchlings are usually no bigger than a toonie, and when they first emerge from their nests they will not have a mental map of their surroundings, although their internal compass mechanisms will activate within hours of emerging from the nest (Pappas et al. 2013). Their instincts will guide them to head towards an open horizon, which will hopefully lead them to water (Krenz et al. 2018). So in this one special case, if you find a hatchling on a road or road shoulder, because they do not have a mental map of their surroundings yet, the best spot to move them is actually the closest shallow water body. This water body should ideally have slow moving water (or no flow at all) and lots of aquatic vegetation where they can hide from predators and find things to eat. This could be a flooded road ditch, a small pond, or a grassy bank of a near by marsh. It is important to note that we still don’t want to relocate a hatchling far from where we found it, do not move a hatchling more than 250 m. If you can not see any water within this distance from where you found it, move the hatchling safely far off the road and road shoulder in the direction they were travelling. It is even more important to note that we don’t want you to take the hatchling home. Without the first years spent in nature, the mental map will not be made and the turtle will be lost for all time to navigating the wild. Meanwhile, we are losing too many turtles to road traffic, pet trades, and habitat loss. So, watch out for hatchlings (and adults too) at the end of August and through September (for Snappers and Blanding’s) and when many Painted Turtle hatchlings emerge at the end of May / beginning of June.

 

Written by Meredith Karcz, Conservation Technician

 

Download this article: turtles know where they are going. M. Karcz

 

References

Brown, G.P., and R.J. Brooks. 1994. Characteristics of and fidelity to hibernacula in a northern population of Snapping Turtles, Chelydra serpentina. Copeia 1994(1): 222-226.

Caldwell, I. R., & Nams, V. O. (2006). A compass without a map: tortuosity and orientation of eastern painted turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) released in unfamiliar territory. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 84(8), 1129-1137.

Fuentes, A., Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J., Garduño, V., Sanchez, J., & Rizzi, A. (2004). Magnetite in Black Sea Turtles (Chelonia agassizi). AGUFM, 2004, B21B-0884.

Krenz, J. D., Congdon, J. D., Schlenner, M. A., Pappas, M. J., & Brecke, B. J. (2018). Use of sun compass orientation during natal dispersal in Blanding’s turtles: in situ field experiments with clock-shifting and disruption of magnetoreception. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(11), 177.

Landler, L., Painter, M. S., Youmans, P. W., Hopkins, W. A., & Phillips, J. B. (2015). Spontaneous magnetic alignment by yearling snapping turtles: rapid association of radio frequency dependent pattern of magnetic input with novel surroundings. PLoS One, 10(5), e0124728.

Pappas, M. J., Congdon, J. D., Brecke, B. J., & Freedberg, S. (2013). Orientation of freshwater hatchling Blanding’s (Emydoidea blandingii) and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) dispersing from experimental nests in agricultural fields. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8(2), 385-399.

Pettit, K.E., C.A. Bishop, and R.J. Brooks. 1995. Home range and movements of the common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina, in a coastal wetland of Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario, Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 109(2): 192- 200.

Its mid June in the Land Between. The evening temperature is pleasant, and I might even say I was comfortable sitting in this lawn chair on the side of the highway, if it weren’t for the bugs! Black-flies and mosquitoes swarm my head and unprotected arms. I pull on my trusty bug jacket and settle back into my seat. I’m watching a show that many people have not had the pleasure of seeing; a Blanding’s Turtle is laying her nest. I’m watching her from the other side of the road through my binoculars, ensuring her safety. This is a vulnerable time for her and I am protecting her from oncoming cars. A study in Southern Ontario showed that approximately 2.7% of cars will intentionally aim for reptiles on the road (Ashley et al. 2007). I won’t let that happen to this momma! She rocks slowly back and forth as she works to dig a hole. She has been working for about an hour now. I wonder if she’ll start laying before its dark! Like many other turtles, this mother is very methodical when it comes to nesting.

A gravid (pregnant) turtle will travel as much as 7.5 kilometres to find the perfect spot to lay their eggs, and many will return to the same place year after year (others will travel within 2km of this site over the years) (Congdon et al. 2008). Some Blanding’s Turtles nest as far as 1 kilometre from the nearest water (Congdon et al. 2008). This turtle has chosen to nest in front of a small marsh, but that marsh that sits behind her may not be where she resides the rest of the year.  I wonder how far this lady has traveled today. The traffic on the highway zooms past me. How many roads did she have to cross to get here safely?

I check on the turtle through my binoculars again. Blanding’s Turtles can take up to 2.5 hours to complete the nesting process. To my excitement, there is a change in behaviour! She has finished digging. Her neck slowly extends out, showing off a beautiful yellow colour. Then she tucks her head in. This tells me that she is finally laying eggs! After each egg, she rocks sideways, catching the egg with one leg and placing it carefully into the nest. She will repeat this process, laying on average 10-15 eggs (Ernst et al. 1994).

I am working as part of crew in The Land Between, which, under a special wildlife permit, will research turtles (all of which are disappearing in Ontario), and which will also help give next generations a boost by incubating eggs.

It is nearly dark now, as I watch her lay her eggs. I wait for her to finish, adrenaline building because the next part is the most fun! As she reaches the end of laying, I start to move. I creep through the bushes behind her on my hands and knees. I slowly move up behind her so that I can see her hind legs. I ensure she cannot see me, as the last thing I want to do is spook her off the nest. I have purposefully been watching through my binoculars from a distance up to this point. I watch as she lays her final egg and begins to bury her nest. Before she can, I pick her up, and hand her to my partner who is ready with equipment to take her morphometrics. He will weigh her and take some measurements of her shell. Meanwhile, I get back to the nest. Since I didn’t let her bury her eggs it makes my job much easier. Blanding’s Turtles are very good at camouflaging their nests. I carefully excavate the nest. These eggs will be transported to an incubator where they will be safe from predators such as raccoons and foxes that love to eat them (Harding 1997). They will also be safe from heavy machinery such as graders, as well as environmental damage such as temperature fluctuations and flooding (Riley et al., unpublished data, Edge unpublished data).

We will return the hatchlings to this area when they emerge in 56-133 days (Gillingwater and Brooks 2001). This will protect them from the road where hatchlings are at higher risk for mortality after emerging from roadside nests (Gillingwater 2013). This mother’s legacy will hopefully live on, and all her travelling and hard work will not have been in vain. While we are helping by ensuring that not as many nests are lost and more hatchlings emerge, the recruitment rate (the replacement rate) for adult turtles is still extremely low because only a small fraction (less than 1%) of the hatchlings will survive the masses of predators and find the right conditions to reach adulthood. 

We release the tired turtle and watch her saunter into the ditch, and out of sight. I think to myself how lucky I am to have such a rewarding job, bug bites and all!

 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer nest sitter, please visit the Turtle Guardians website for more information.

 

Submitted by Grace Wiley, Conservation Technician

 

 

 

Literature Cited

Ashley, E.P., and J.T. Robinson. 1996. Road mortality of amphibians, reptiles and other wildlife on the Long Point Causeway, Lake Erie, Ontario. Canadian Field Naturalist 110:403-412.

Congdon, J.D., T.E. Graham, T.B. Herman, J.W. Lang, M.J. Pappas, and B.J. Brecke. 2008. Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook 1838) Blanding’s turtle. In: Rhodin, A.G.J., P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, and J.B. Iverson. (Eds.). Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 5, pp. 015.1-015.12.

Edge, C.B. Unpublished data.

Ernst, C.H., R.W. Barbour, and J.E. Lovich. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.

Gillingwater, S.D. 2013. Unpublished report submitted to Canadian Wildlife Service. 48 pp.

Gillingwater, S.D., and R.J. Brooks. 2001. A selective herpetofaunal survey, inventory and biological research study of Rondeau Provincial Park. Report to the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Endangered Species Recovery Fund (World Wildlife Fund).

Riley, J., M. Keevil, P. Moldowan and J. Litzgus. Unpublished data.

Harding, J.H. 1997. Amphibians and reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. 378 pp.

 

 

For many of us, casting a line out on a calm lake sounds like the perfect way to spend a late summer’s evening. Avid anglers are no strangers to waking up at the crack of dawn to hop in a boat with a rod and tacklebox in hand (and maybe a morning coffee too!). Even if you do not fish often, there is no doubt that recreational fishing can be an extremely relaxing, enjoyable and oftentimes addicting hobby – it is so easy to get lost in time and not think about much else aside from that next bite! However, to enjoy recreational fishing to its fullest and ensure that it is enjoyed by those after us, it is important to take the time to think about how you can fish responsibly. This is particularly important during Family Fishing Week here in Ontario (occurring July 4^th to the 19^th this year) since many newcomers to the hobby will be participating without having to own a fishing license.

The Land Between bioregion is home to more than 2400 lakes. Many of these lakes are extremely fragile. Pollution, climate change and boating are changing the structure and sustainability of fish populations.

Indeed, now is a good time to learn about how to become a more fish-friendly (and environmentally friendly) angler! Here are just a few tips and tricks to help:

1. Read up on the regulations

As with most fun activities in life, the first step is to make sure we familiarize ourselves with the rules. Keep in mind that you may not need a fishing license during Family Fishing Week, but you still need to follow the Conservation fishing license limits. You can find information regarding the use of live bait, catch limits, size restrictions, and open seasons for different species of fish within your area or zone (there are 20 in total) on the Ontario Fishing Regulations website.

Pay close attention to which specific water body you will be fishing on because there may be exceptions for that lake. It is also a good idea to think about what you will be fishing for prior to heading out onto the lake, keeping in mind the target species, catch limit for that species, size limits, time of year, and any exceptions.

If playing for keeps, aim to keep smaller or damaged fish while leaving the larger, healthier ones to spawn and allow the population to grow. Even if you are just planning to catch and release, becoming familiar with the rules beforehand will ensure you are making the correct decisions in a quick manner to not only be compliant with the regulations, but also the most considerate of the fish’s life.

2. Be gentle

Fish may be strong and powerful when you feel them fighting back on your line, but they are actually relatively fragile creatures outside of the water and thus need to be handled with considerable care.

Some general tips to help you be more gentle when handling fish include:

• Lower the fish gently into the water instead of tossing it – this may shock or hurt it
• Use rubber coated or knot-less nets and damp hands to handle fish – they are gentler on fish scales and their protective slime (which helps to keep them healthy)
• Avoid placing fish on dry or rough surfaces – a fish flopping around on a surface like this can damage their skin and scales
• Avoid holding fish by their gill plates – the gills are delicate and prone to hemorrhaging and infection; they should be treated as vital internal organs since fish would not be able to live without them!
• Use barbless hooks if catching and releasing – these hooks can be released easier and do less damage to the fish
• Minimize the fight time for the fish (which can produce fatal amounts of lactic acid within the fish’s body) – ensure your drag is not set too loose so you do not let out excess line
• Pay close attention to avoid feeding the line to a fish once it is biting (i.e. set the hook early) – this will often avoid gut-hooking a fish which can be very difficult and damaging to remove
• Use circle hooks – they avoid gut-hooking and also tend to prevent snags (bonus!)
• Use a dehooking tool to remove embedded hooks – they are often fairly effective and do much less damage to the fish
• Minimize the time out of water – even just one minute spent out of water can decrease the fish’s chance of survival by 6 times, so it is best to have all your equipment and action plan ready
• Properly prepare for photos by making make sure you are situated, ready and comfortable – try to avoid taking photos if you are uncomfortable handling a fish (some fish have very sharp fins that may prick and cut you!)

It is also extremely important to remember that just because a fish is released (and swims away fine) does not mean that it will survive. In fact, only 11.5% of deeply hooked fish will survive upon release once the hook has been removed, and two-thirds of deeply hooked fish will survive if the hook has not been removed (Casselman, 2005). This is because removing a deeply embedded hook often results in lethal hemorrhaging or invites infection. Therefore, cutting the line (the further down the better) and leaving the hook in if you cannot get it out gently with pliers or a dehooking tool is typically less damaging to the fish than doing all you can to pull it out. This may seem counterintuitive, but most fish can shed the embedded hooks by themselves within a matter of days. Nonetheless, getting a hook stuck should still be avoided by not feeding a fish line after it bites, as well as using circle hooks. This will ensure that no hooks end up in the lake for you to cut yourself on while swimming or for other animals to harm themselves on.

3. Set your snags free

Ah, the dreaded snag. Loosing a lure is not only disappointing for you but also poses a serious threat to other wildlife who may ingest the lures or get tangled in fishing line. In fact, many studies have found fish with soft bait plastics and lures in their stomachs, including one study that reported soft plastic lures in 17.9% of lake trout in Charleston Lake, Ontario (Raison et al., 2014). This is not surprising news since around 80% of anglers have reported losing their tackle and copious amounts of toxic lead-based items in a lake (Radomski et al., 2006). Unfortunately, many birds ingest toxic lead-based sinkers and jigs thinking they are food and die as a result. That is a lot of plastic, lead and hooks polluting our lakes from snags, not to mention the amount of discarded soft baits that many people toss in the water once they are done with them. Other litter can also include packages from bait and tackle items, as well as food and drink packages which pollute the water, and can harm many birds, fish, turtles and other wildlife who can choke or get caught in them. As such, try your best not to litter or leave lost lures and soft baits in the water once they get snagged. It is best if you can boat out or wade out to unsnag the line and lure. Even better, aim to use weed-less lures in heavily vegetated areas to save both yourself and the environment the struggle!

4. Go green
   

   Photo: Joseph Simonds

You might feel a lot better about leaving an impossible-to-remove snag from the lake if you use eco-friendly, biodegradable tackle instead. There are many options for non-toxic sinkers and jigs made from tin, bismuth, antimony, steel, brass, tungsten, terpene resin putty, clay or polypropylene, as well as biodegradable monofilament fishing line, lures and soft baits made from fish food or other non-PVC, non- plastisol and non-phthalates material. If you like DIY projects, you can even try to make your own from home!

5. Avert the aliens

Avert the alien species, that is! Washing your boat, gear and clothes before leaving the site, as well as draining excess water from your boat (especially if you plan to head into another lake or water body) is always a great idea to avoid the spread of invasive species. Invasive fish, plants and aquatic organisms tend to outcompete native species for food and habitat and disrupt natural food webs. Therefore, becoming familiar with the prohibited invasive fish, aquatic invertebrates and plant species in Ontario is a great idea to avoid accidentally putting them back into the water while fishing and thus allowing them to spread more. In addition, look for regulations on which live bait you can use in certain areas – never release bait fish since they can outcompete native fish for food and habitat in the lake ecosystem.

6. Better your boating

Everybody knows that fishing from a boat is usually better for catching fish. You get to access deeper waters and can use fish finders to scope out prime fishing areas. However, boating can be destructive to aquatic life, including those prized fish that you are hoping to catch! Fortunately, there are certain practices that everyone can follow to better their boating behaviour. Firstly, lift your prop or trim your motor up as best you can in shallow areas and reduce your speed to under 10 km/h within 30 m of a shoreline. Boat propellers tend to rip up aquatic vegetation which would provide shelter and food for many fish and aquatic organisms. Props can also stir up sediment and create wakes which contribute to shoreline erosion and decreased water quality due to turbidity (cloudiness), making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate plants and allow them to grow. In addition, try not to drag anchors along the bottom of the lake as this disturbs sediment and vegetation, thereby damaging habitat for fish and aquatic life.

 

Keeping all of these things in mind the next time you are itching to go fishing will help keep your favourite fishing hole healthy and ensure there are enough fish for future generations to enjoy!

 

Written by Angela Vander Eyken

Download in PDF: Responsible Fishing. Vander Eyken

Sources:

Angling Unlimited. (n.d.). Safe & Responsible Catch & Release Fishing. https://anglingunlimited.com/fishing/catch-release-properly/#:~:text=If%20a%20fish%20is%20gut,to%20them%20when%20they%20bite.

Casselman, S. J. (2005). Catch-and-release angling: a review with guidelines for proper fish handling practices. Fish & Wildlife Branch. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Peterborough, Ontario. 26 p.

Government of Canada (2018). Lead sinkers and jigs: executive summary.  https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/management-toxic-substances/list-canadian-environmental-protection-act/lead/using-more-lead-free-fishing-tackle/lead-sinkers-jigs-executive-summary.html

Horton, J. (n.d.). 5 Ways to Fish Responsibly. https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/fishing/fish-conservation/responsible-fishing/5-ways-to-fish-responsibly.htm

Kayak Angler. (n.d.). Are Eco-Friendly Baits The Future Of Fishing? https://kayakanglermag.com/stories/news-events/are-eco-friendly-baits-the-future-of-fishing-hopefully/

Management. Environmental Management, 44(2), 324–334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-009-9299-3

Meyer, M. (2015). Column: Soft plastic fishing lures, friend or foe? https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/hebron/2015/05/15/column-soft-plastic-fishing-lures-friend-foe/27386037/

O’Toole, A., Hanson, K., & Cooke, S. (2009). The Effect of Shoreline Recreational Angling Activities on Aquatic and Riparian Habitat Within an Urban Environment: Implications for Conservation and

Radomski, P., Heinrich, T., Jones, T., Rivers, P., & Talmage, P. (2006). Estimates of Tackle Loss for Five Minnesota Walleye Fisheries. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 26(1), 206–212. https://doi.org/10.1577/M05-121.1

Raison, T., Nagrodski, A., Suski, C., & Cooke, S. (2014). Exploring the Potential Effects of Lost or Discarded Soft Plastic Fishing Lures on Fish and the Environment. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 225(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-014-1869-1

Reid, D. C. (2007). 6 Facts About Circle Hooks. https://www.outdoorcanada.ca/facts-about-circle-hooks/

Simonds, J. (2015). Certified Biodegradable Fishing Lures! Could This Disrupt The Entire Fishing Lure Industry? https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/biodegradable-fishing-lures-mhg-plastics/

University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2008). Off The Hook: Stronger Soft-plastic Fishing Lures Less Damaging To Environment. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080221173812.htm

 

 

We have been in lock-down for quite some time – almost 14 weeks or more in areas. Life as we once knew it has been put on hold and is only now just starting to return to a new form of “normal”. Although the damage and devastation from these unprecedented times are indisputable, the slowing down has allowed some an opportunity to work on long-forgotten home projects, take on a new hobby, or simply cross some things off the old “to-do” list. Perhaps one of the greater silver linings has to do with Nature. The slow down has reduced green house gas and other polluting emissions globally, and it has also (more recently) been a time for many people to get outdoors and reconnect with nature. In fact, there has been a significant increase in wildlife sightings, with iNaturalist app users reporting 5,500 more sightings this spring compared to last year, and people from all over the world spotting more animals coming out into the open. While it is possible that these fascinating occurrences can be explained by more people having time to get out and report wildlife (bonus!), it does make you wonder what the animals have really been up to while us humans have been staying home. More importantly, can we be sure that our actions (or lack thereof) during the pandemic will have a positive impact on wildlife and nature both now and in the future?

While it may be too soon to fully answer this question, many scientists have hypothesized that the “Global Human Confinement Experiment” (as they have coined it) will likely have a wide range of both positive and negative impacts on biodiversity, conservation and environmental health. Let’s first have a look at some of the positives!

1. Reduction in human disturbance

Becoming couch potatoes has not been all that bad for the birds and the bees! Less noise and physical disturbance during the breeding season is expected to result in higher mating and reproduction rates for many species. Some species of wildlife have also been able to venture out into areas they typically would not have traveled before. For example, biologists predict that deer and other shy ungulates may actually be expanding their ranges as it becomes safer for them to explore further into newly gained peace and quiet, meanwhile, for similar reasons, other species have recolonized areas that were previously taken away from them, such as penguins in Cape Town, South Africa.

2. Reduction in air, water and local car traffic

Even though you’ve probably had to abandon the idea of escaping to a tropical island this season, the cancellation of flights has thankfully resulted in a significant reduction of climate-warming CO₂ and smog-causing particles. In just the early months of lock-down alone, global CO₂ emissions were reduced by 17% and in Peterborough, road traffic was reduced by around 80% (Le Quéré, 2020; The Peterborough Examiner, 2020). This is good news for almost all forms of life, especially plants, insects, and insect-eating birds. Less people on the roads also means safer passage for many species of wildlife, including foxes, skunks, porcupines, rabbits, deer, moose, frogs, snakes and especially slow-moving turtles who are frequently hit by cars as they cross busy routes in search of nesting sites. And turtles populations, especially needed this reprieve as it can take from 30 years up to 60 years for one turtle to be replaced in the environment. As such, reduced road traffic could result in at least a small temporary stabilization or even rise in the population numbers of these animals. Additionally, much of the shipping activity by large vessels in waterways has slowed, resulting in less noise, disturbance, and water pollution for fish, whales and other aquatic species.

3. Reduction in park recreation

There has been some anecdotal evidence suggesting that closed parks and green-spaces have given a chance for wildlife to roam more freely, as well as mate and rear their offspring under less stress. It is important to note that the positive effects from this are likely to be short-lived since most parks have already re-opened.

All in all, this is great news for conservation and biodiversity; however, we are not out of the woods just yet! There are still less obvious potential consequences that scientists and experts are warning us to be aware of. Let’s dive into some of them and learn a little bit along the way about how we can help avoid these negative impacts.

1. Rise in outdoor recreation

For some, lock-down has probably felt like a long-lived vacation, especially now that the weather is so nice! Since restrictions have been lifted, many have used this time to head to the cottage, get out boating on the lake, do some bird watching or even plan extreme backwoods camping trips. The problem isn’t that people are getting out to enjoy nature; the problem is that so many people are doing it all at once. This can put stress on ecosystems and wildlife, particularly in cottage country in recently re-opened parks where animals have had time to relax without humans and then for their homes; the habitats including the soils, microbes, plants etc. that cannot rebound from intense disruption and disturbance as quickly as parts of southern Ontario.

Fortunately, you can still have a blast outdoors while also being considerate of wildlife around you by keeping these things in mind:

• Stick to the trail. Try to avoid veering off the established paths as this may trample sensitive habitats and disturb ecosystems (look out for tiny toads and frogs as they develop from tadpoles during this time!).
• Watch your wake. A day out on the lake can still be fun while at the same time protecting shorelines and water quality by reducing your speed to under 10 km/h within 30 m of a shoreline (the less the better!). If you are in the market for a boat, it is a good idea to purchase a four-stroke engine rather than a two-stroke since they are much cleaner and more fuel efficient. In addition, lifting your motor up as much as you can in shallow areas will also help to reduce damage to aquatic vegetation and vital fish and amphibian nurseries. Following all of these suggestions will help mitigate disturbance to shoreline habitats (including where many waterfowl nest) and reduce erosion and turbidity (cloudiness) which contribute to poor water quality and degradation of fish habitat.
• Leave no trace. This includes picking up and properly disposing of your waste, your pet’s waste and discarded food, as well as ensuring that your campfire is fully put out with water before leaving the area or heading in for the night.
• Give animals space. You may be really tempted to get that perfect selfie with a moose or rare species of turtle; however, not only can this be dangerous to you, but it is also very stressful for the animal. Instead, keep a good distance (a couple hundred feet) and use that zoom!

2. Rise in the use of single-use plastics and harsh chemical cleaners

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, masks, and disposable plastic supplies, has increased by over 300% in some areas since the pandemic began (Klemeš et al., 2020). With the increased use of single-use plastics comes more litter since many people do not want to bring these potentially contaminated items back into their homes. In addition, contaminated plastics must be disposed of as hazardous waste which puts more strain on already-overwhelmed waste disposal areas. A great solution is to use re-usable masks (with an insert for a removable filter) and gloves that can be put in a quarantine container to be washed when you get home. Speaking of washing – constant washing of hands and increased use of alcohol, chlorine and bleach-based disinfectants washes more chemicals down the drain and into our beloved lakes. These chemicals have the potential to kill fish and other aquatic organisms, as well as wreak havoc on lake ecosystems.

To help mitigate these impacts, opt for more eco-friendly alternatives to hand soaps and surface disinfectants by following these general guidelines:

• Avoid sodium hypochlorite-based cleaners and quaternary ammonium compounds which can be harmful to both humans and the environment.
• Try sanitizing with vapor (yes, steam cleaning) – it can kill up to 99.99% of germs, viruses, and bacteria!
• Use more bio-based soaps, cleaners and disinfectants that are still highly effective but are less toxic. You can try using liquid castile soap made from plant oils (soap and water is more effective at killing the virus than alcohol-based sanitizer) and 3-5% hydrogen peroxide-based, or oxygen bleach (liquid) made of water and hydrogen peroxide as disinfectants which break down to be much less toxic to the environment (and you!) than chlorine. There is also no need to rinse off surfaces sprayed with hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners since the solution naturally decomposes to water and oxygen on its own.
• Opt for certified eco-friendly labels on cleaning products.

3. Loss of capacity for scientific research and conservation

Many jobs have been lost or opportunities cancelled due to social distancing requirements – scientific research and conservation projects are no exception. This has left many scientists and conservationists unable to conduct their field work and regular monitoring, care, or mitigation for at-risk species. Not only has there been a stoppage (or at the very least, a delay) in valuable conservation work, but charities and not-for-profit organizations have also been struggling to raise sufficient funds through their outreach initiatives. Some funding agencies have cut back or cut out giving programs altogether. This decline in revenue and therefore capacity for conservation organizations, scientists, and national and provincial parks may limit funds for conservation efforts in future years too. The lack of funding to groups that often take on major portions of government agenda and portfolios in this sector, means that lakes, wetlands, and wildlife are at greater risk and are overlooked. Meanwhile, it is these resources that ultimately supply us with products and services, from medicines, materials, to food and from pollination to water filtration, and it is the full spectrum of nature which supplies us with an abundance of peace, joy and inspiration.

One way that you can help is by getting involved in local fundraising initiatives, volunteering, and if you can spare even small amounts, by donating to local environmental groups and organizations.

While we may not know if the pandemic will have positive effects on nature and wildlife in the long run, we are certainly in a great position to learn and be mindful of our actions right now. The way in which we interact with nature has direct and impactful results on the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil we stay and play in, and the animals we live amongst – And it is our duty to make sure we have a good impact.

If we take anything from this experience, let it be a renewed sense of appreciation of nature and the desire to coexist with wildlife in a much healthier manner!

 

Written by Angela Vander Eyken

Download in PDF: Blog.COVID-19 Nature and Wildlife. Is there a silver lining for wildlife. A. Vander Eyken

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