Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre **CALL 705 741-5000 IF YOU HAVE A WILD TURTLE EMERGENCY** We provide medical and rehabilitative care for Ontario's native turtle species.

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (home of the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre) is a non-profit, registered charity that operates a hospital for injured wild turtles. Once healed these turtles are released back into their natural habitat. We also do fieldwork & research, education & outreach, and head-start hatchlings to promote healthy turtle populations and stewardship.

Starting the day off right with some recent releases! 🐢While we continue to receive injured turtles at our hospital, rel...
06/03/2026

Starting the day off right with some recent releases! 🐢

While we continue to receive injured turtles at our hospital, release season is also well underway. Pictured here are a few of our hardworking summer staff helping return these turtles to their ancestral wetlands. After months of rehabilitation and care over the winter, they were pretty happy to return home! 🌾

06/01/2026

Exciting news!
I am delighted to welcome Glenn Cunnington to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre team. Since 2009, I have held both the Executive and Medical Director positions. During that time, we have seen the organization grow from a small grassroots volunteer driven organization to a veritable world-renown conservation centre with a strong impact and conservation. We have always planned to split these two positions once we could support this, and we are now at that stage. Having them both jointly leading the organization will allow each position to grow and become more specialized, increasing our scope and impact even more.

Glenn will be joining us as our new Executive Director, while I’ll still maintain the Medical Director position for the time being. Dr. Kristen Janke has been gradually taking on more and more of this role, however, having been with us and working alongside me for a great many years (since before she was a vet!). Over time she will move fully into the Medical Director role, while I slow down and just be a vet. This succession plan has been in mind for some time, as I approached retirement age. Meanwhile, we shall be working side-by-side as we always have done.

Glenn brings with him all the qualities that OTCC needs to continue moving forward. He is an expert in Ontario turtles, having been on COSSARO (the committee on the status of species at risk in Ontario) for five years. He also holds a PhD in the road and landscape ecology; an area OTCC has always envisioned expanding its role in. In addition, Glenn holds an MSc in watershed ecosystems ecology and so has an excellent grasp of the “big picture”. He is well-versed in project management, through his 25 years of work in both private and public sectors. And lastly, he’s just a super nice guy, and I know the team will enjoy working with him.

We at the Ontario turtle conservation centre are excited for this new chapter – WELCOME GLENN!
Sue Carstairs

Spread the word! Our 50/50 raffle is already at $12,090, with the winner taking home half! Don't miss your chance to win...
06/01/2026

Spread the word!

Our 50/50 raffle is already at $12,090, with the winner taking home half! Don't miss your chance to win big while supporting Ontario's turtles.

Visit ontarioturtle.ca/raffle to get your tickets today!

AGCO License RAF1513264 | Must be 18+ and resident of Ontario
Sales End July 14 2026 | Full rules on raffle website
Ontario Problem Gaming Helpline: 1-888-230-3505 or www.connexontario.ca
Proceeds support Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, a registered Canadian charity

The other week, OTCC’s Education Team and ambassadors had the opportunity to connect with community members and fellow c...
05/30/2026

The other week, OTCC’s Education Team and ambassadors had the opportunity to connect with community members and fellow conservation groups at TRCA’s TurtleFest! 🐢

A big thank you to Toronto and Region Conservation Authority for organizing another incredible day shellabrating turtles and to everyone who came out to participate!

Happy World Turtle Day! 🐢Today serves as a time to reflect on these remarkable and resilient creatures that have been ar...
05/23/2026

Happy World Turtle Day! 🐢

Today serves as a time to reflect on these remarkable and resilient creatures that have been around for over 200 million years. Not only do we celebrate turtles for the vital role they play in the environment, but we also celebrate them for their unique biology, life history, and simply for their existence on this earth.

Ontario is home to eight different freshwater turtle species, and at the OTCC, we are so grateful to work alongside these amazing reptiles and help give them a second chance at life. Through our hospital and hatchling programs, we have treated and released thousands of turtles over the last 20+ years. We could not have accomplished this without our incredible volunteers and supporters. By giving your time and energy, you make a significant difference in the lives of turtles across the province.

Looking to become a turtle steward in your community? Visit the Stewardship section of our website for helpful resources on nest protection, improving turtle habitat, and reporting your turtle sightings: ontarioturtle.ca.

💚

05/22/2026

What better way to celebrate tomorrow than by visiting our Education Ambassadors! Stop by our Education Centre anytime between 9am-5pm.

Can’t make it tomorrow? Our facility is open each day of the week! 🐢

The OTCC 50/50 Raffle is back! 🎟️Our last winner took home an incredible $35,645, and the next winner could be you! Visi...
05/21/2026

The OTCC 50/50 Raffle is back! 🎟️

Our last winner took home an incredible $35,645, and the next winner could be you! Visit ontarioturtle.ca/raffle to get your tickets that also support Ontario's turtles 🐢

AGCO License RAF1513264 | Must be 18+ and resident of Ontario
Sales End July 14 2026 | Full rules on raffle website
Ontario Problem Gaming Helpline: 1-888-230-3505 or www.connexontario.ca
Proceeds support Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, a registered Canadian charity

Over the weekend, we admitted 60+ injured turtles to our hospital. Pictured here, Dr. Pauline is performing surgery on o...
05/19/2026

Over the weekend, we admitted 60+ injured turtles to our hospital. Pictured here, Dr. Pauline is performing surgery on our 236th patient of this year. As our intakes continue to rise, we want to share a few friendly reminders on how you can look out for turtles in your community and keep these at-risk animals safe.

🚗Not only should you be alert while driving and watch for turtles on roads, but you may also encounter them in other everyday situations:

🚜Scan your yard before mowing the lawn! Turtles may be passing through or searching for a nesting location.

🚤Tap the side of the dock and make noise before starting your boat. This helps alert turtles that may be underneath and gives them time to swim away. Slow down in areas with lots of basking rocks and aquatic plants.

🎣If you accidentally hook a turtle: gently reel it in, place it in a secure bin, cut the line so the turtle does not get tangled in it, and call our hotline team. Never try to remove the hook yourself.

🚲Be alert while biking and walking on trails!

📞Found a sick or injured turtle? Call our hotline team at 705-741-5000 (option 9). If you find an injured turtle outside of our operating hours, please keep it somewhere safe until we can get back to you.

Thanks everyone!

🎨 SILENT AUCTION 🎨bidding ends TOMORROW at 7pm! It's the last week of our silent auction, and we saved some of the best ...
05/18/2026

🎨 SILENT AUCTION 🎨bidding ends TOMORROW at 7pm! It's the last week of our silent auction, and we saved some of the best for last. Check out all 15 stunning pieces up for auction this week, and place your bids online now. 🐢
These items were donated by generous artists, and all proceeds support the turtles!
ontarioturtle.ca/auction

Watch out for turtles while traveling this May long weekend and throughout the spring and summer seasons! Turtles will b...
05/16/2026

Watch out for turtles while traveling this May long weekend and throughout the spring and summer seasons! Turtles will be on the move to nesting locations and are at risk of being hit on roads. Slow down in wetland areas and keep lots of distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

⚠️If you find a healthy turtle crossing the road and it is safe to do so, help them cross in the direction they are heading.

⚠️If you find an injured turtle anywhere in Ontario follow these simple steps: contain the turtle if it's safe for you to do so, make note of exactly where you found it, and call us at 705-741-5000 (option 9). We'll walk you through what to do, and make arrangements to get the turtle to our center. If you find an injured turtle outside of our operating hours, please keep it somewhere safe until we can get back to you.

⚠️If you find a turtle that is NOT in danger, watch them from a distance so you do not disturb their natural behaviour.

Have a happy and turtley May long weekend! 🐢

Address

2785 Television Road
Peterborough, ON
K9L1E9

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+17057415000

Website

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