https://www.facebook.com/102074592986061/

Friends of Manitoulin Turtles

Home
Canada
Little Current, ON
Friends of Manitoulin Turtles

A grassroots group working to protect Manitoulin's turtles.

06/15/2026

Shout out to Split Rail Brewing Co., Manitoulin Island. for having turtle nest protectors available this nesting season!

Did you see a turtle nesting? Do you have permission to protect the nest? Do you need a nest protector? Pop in during regular business hours to pick one up!

Protecting turtle nests is one way we can help offset predation pressure on turtle populations. Turtle eggs are delicious and a natural food source for many creatures, but due to human presence, many predatory species have a robust population; subsidized predation.

If you see a nesting turtle count yourself lucky! With landowner permission, nests should be covered as soon as the mother turtle leaves. If you don't have a nest protector, a temporary cover to protect from predators for the first few hours after eggs are laid is great, the best choice for long term protection is a nest protector that allows the normal temperature needed for successful incubation.

Nest protectors are available free of charge but Friends of Manitoulin Turtles graciously accepts donations via etransfer to [email protected]. Reach out to Friends of Manitoulin Turtles if you have any questions or want to share your turtle encounters!

06/03/2026

Watch for nesting turtles in June!

Keep back 5 to 10 m (15 to 30 ft) if you think a turtle is actively laying eggs. A spooked turtle might abandon her nest which puts her and her eggs at risk.

Turtles might:

Walk up and down the road shoulder
Cross the road frequently within a short period of time
Dig test pits to check for suitable locations
Walk away and try again tomorrow
Dig a larger hole over a longer period of time
Start and finish laying eggs
Cover up the nest, disguising it expertly

If you see this behaviour, and it is safe for you to observe her, please do so, but you might be there a while. Nesting turtles are very vulnerable and may cross the road numerous times.

After nesting, turtles may turn around and follow the same path back to where they were before nesting, follow her lead before you help her cross a road. She will be extremely tired and moving slowly, even for a turtle.

Protect turtle eggs from predators if you can! Most predation happens right after eggs are laid, cover the nest as soon as possible with a nest protector or another temporary solution, if you have permission to do so. Some nests are eligible for excavation by trained personnel and incubation in a special incubator, reach out by email ([email protected]) or private message to find out more!

Don't post turtle or nest locations publicly on social media!

06/01/2026

We're turtley excited to scute down to Gore Bay Union Public Library on Saturday, June 6!

05/23/2026

Shellebrate Turtles!

Turtles are vital for the health of ecosystems. Without turtles, waterways would become uninhabitable for many other species. Protecting turtles helps everyone and everything!

Watch for turtles while driving, cycling, or walking and help them cross a road if it is safe for you to do so. Always move a turtle in the direction they are headed, and never relocate a turtle to a different area.

June is peak for nesting activity, prepare now so that you know what you can do to help nesting turtles, eggs, and hatchlings!

Report your sightings! Take a picture, if it is safe for you to do so, and note your location.

Every turtle sighting you report helps with conservation efforts!
📧 [email protected]
📩 Friends of Manitoulin Turtles
🌐 online reporting form https://arcg.is/1Djzjm

05/19/2026

Turtles need more Friends! Come chat with Friends of Manitoulin Turtles to find out how you can get involved; walk in a parade, be a citizen scientist, just tell everyone how great turtles are, there are countless ways to take part!

05/18/2026

Watch for Common Snapping Turtles! Encountering one of these prehistoric beauties feels anything but common. The largest turtle found in Canada, the Common Snapping Turtle gets its name from the defensive snap developed because the plastron (bottom shell) is too small to allow the head and limbs to retract. A bite from a Common Snapping Turtle would certainly be painful, but they actually have a bite force less than a human's.

Report your sightings! Take a picture, if it is safe for you to do so, and note your location.

Every turtle sighting you report helps with conservation efforts!
📧 [email protected]
📩 Friends of Manitoulin Turtles
🌐 online reporting form https://arcg.is/1Djzjm

If you are an iNaturalist user, log your observations there.

Please don't post turtle locations publicly on social media.

If you are confident you can do so, and it is safe, you can help a Common Snapping Turtle cross a road. Carry them like a pizza box or place them on a mat and drag. Never lift a turtle by the tail. Always move them across the road in the direction they were initially headed.

05/14/2026

Watch for Blanding's Turtles! A yellow chin and neck and domed carapace (top shell) make this magnificent turtle stand out from the rest. Blanding's Turtles are the most terrestrial turtle found in our region, covering many kilometers every season. They are the only turtle species in our region who can eat while on land!

Report your sightings! Take a picture, if it is safe for you to do so, and note your location.

Every turtle sighting you report helps with conservation efforts!
📧 [email protected]
📩 Friends of Manitoulin Turtles
🌐 online reporting form https://arcg.is/1Djzjm

If you are an iNaturalist user, log your observations there.

Please don't post turtle locations publicly on social media.

If it is safe for you to stop to help a turtle cross a road, move them across the road in the direction they are headed, and wish them well on their journey.

04/27/2026

Watch for Midland Painted Turtles! Red-orange and yellow markings on the head, neck, limbs, and edge of the carapace give this beautiful turtle its name. Midland Painted Turtle eggs often hatch in the fall and hatchlings overwinter in their nests to emerge on a sunny spring day.

Report your sightings! Take a picture, if it is safe for you to do so, and note your location.

Every turtle sighting you report helps with conservation efforts!
📧 [email protected]
📩 Friends of Manitoulin Turtles
🌐 online reporting form https://arcg.is/1Djzjm

If you are an iNaturalist user, log your observations there.

Please don't post turtle locations publicly on social media.

If it is safe for you to stop to help a turtle cross a road, move them across the road in the direction they are headed, and wish them well on their journey.

04/17/2026

Watch for turtles! Report your sightings! Take a picture, if it is safe for you to do so, and note your location.

Every turtle sighting you report helps with conservation efforts!
📧 [email protected]
📩 Friends of Manitoulin Turtles
🌐 online reporting form https://arcg.is/1Djzjm

If you are an iNaturalist user, log your observations there.

Please don't post turtle locations publicly on social media.

If it is safe for you to stop to help a turtle cross a road, move them across the road in the direction they are headed, and wish them well on their journey.

03/10/2026

Pat and her friends have come out of brumation early to visit the Assiginack Public Library on Thursday, March 19, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm for an afternoon all about turtles!

🐢 Gather round for a reading of "What's the Rush? A Plea From the Manitoulin Turtles" by Dr. Patricia Chow-Fraser et al.

🐢 Turtles are amazing creatures! Learn about turtles and their lives through games and activities.

🐢 Make a turtle or two or three to take home to play with and show others how cool turtles are!

Address

50 Meredith Street West
Little Current, ON
P0P 1K0

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Friends of Manitoulin Turtles posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Friends of Manitoulin Turtles:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Little Current?