The Sunshine Coast Wildlife Project is celebrating the arrival of a key annual natural event, nesting season for our threatened Pacific Coast western painted turtles. Every year from late May to early July, females leave the water to lay eggs on land.
It is always a magical thing for the biologists to watch. This year it’s even sweeter, seeing the success of the team’s new nesting beaches. Over the past decades, in collaboration with the SCRD, local partners and community volunteers, the Wildlife Project has built 15 nesting sites.
“It is one of the most impactful things we have done,” says project leader Michelle Evelyn. “At North Lake, for example, we had a small population, few young, low nesting success, and turtles wandering in front of cars desperately trying to find suitable nesting habitat. Now, 10 years after building the nesting beaches, thousands of turtle babies have hatched, and the population is growing and full of young turtles.”
Nesting beaches have been built on both private and public property. Landowners who have a history of turtle nesting attempts can contact the Wildlife Project for help improving habitat on their land. Anyone who spots a turtle wandering, digging, or crossing the road is asked to contact [email protected] or 604-989-1007. See www.facebook.com/coastwildlife for more.
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