05/28/2026
In light of World Turtle Day this past weekend 🐢💚
Nova Scotia is connected to seven turtle species: four freshwater turtles live here year-round while three sea turtles visit our waters during the summer and fall.
These visiting sea turtles include the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, and Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle. Our freshwater turtles - Blanding’s Turtle, Wood Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, and Common Snapping Turtle - are all protected under the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act and play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Turtles are especially vulnerable to environmental change. Their long lifespans and late age of maturity mean populations recover slowly from threats such as habitat degradation, road mortality, and other disturbances.
At Coastal Action, our work focuses on nest timing, predation and emergence rates, identifying common predators, threats, and collecting baseline population and biological data. We’ve been conducting ongoing research on Common Snapping Turtles since 2020 and Eastern Painted Turtles since 2023.
How can you help protect turtles in Nova Scotia?
📍 Submit reptile and amphibian sightings to the Nova Scotia H**p Atlas on iNaturalist or email observations to [email protected]
📍 Report sightings of species at risk by calling 1-866-727-3447 or emailing [email protected]
Please remember to give wildlife space and take photos from a safe distance when reporting sightings 🐢💚
