A Boom in Hatchlings in 2025 for Our Threatened Turtles at the LabNature
Nearly thirty nests—containing just over 500 eggs of Northern Map Turtles, Wood Turtles, and Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtles—incubated safely at the Zoo’s LabNature during the summer of 2025.
Hatchings, which occur from late July to late August, kept our biologists busy: the tiny turtles were released back into their natural habitat within 24 hours of hatching!
Turtles face numerous challenges, both natural and human-induced, that drastically reduce their chances of survival. In fact, the majority of freshwater turtle species in Quebec are listed as vulnerable, of special concern, or even threatened with extinction. Granby Zoo’s Head Start Program offers hundreds of these shell-bearing reptiles an extra chance at survival—and, eventually, reproduction.
Protected from threats on land, in water, and in the air!
In addition to collecting eggs, several nests are protected directly in the wild, reducing the impact of certain threats. Wire mesh can be installed over nesting sites, limiting access for predators. However, this method alone is not enough to significantly increase hatching success for the targeted species.
One of the most critical threats is nest predation, mainly by raccoons, skunks, and other predators that consume the eggs. Populations of these opportunistic feeders are on the rise in many parts of Quebec, particularly due to easy access to food (household garbage). Without intervention, many turtle eggs would never have the chance to hatch.
Weather conditions are another key factor influencing hatching success in the wild. Cooler, rainier summers can delay hatching, sometimes preventing eggs from fully developing before autumn sets in. Repeated heavy rains can flood nesting beaches and drown buried eggs. By incubating eggs in a controlled environment, their chances of hatching are maximized, regardless of weather or climate variations.
Turtles also tend to lay eggs in risky locations, such as gravel shoulders along roads or even parking lots, where both hatchlings and adults face a high risk of being crushed by vehicles. By collecting eggs and releasing the young turtles directly into waterways, we greatly reduce threats from human activity, giving them a much safer start in life.
Who Are LabNature’s Tiny Residents?
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera spinifera)
Listed as a threatened species in Quebec since 2000, this turtle is recognizable by its soft, scaleless shell covered with smooth, leathery skin in shades of olive or light brown. It also has a distinctive long, tubular snout. A carnivore, it is a fast and agile swimmer, feeding mainly on crayfish, insects, small fish, and tadpoles. Surprisingly, this turtle hibernates underwater for several months, relying on its ability to absorb oxygen through its skin (cutaneous respiration). In Quebec, it is found only in one location: Missisquoi Bay of Lake Champlain.
Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
Listed as vulnerable under Quebec’s Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species, the Wood Turtle is considered the most terrestrial of our turtle species. Its shell is brownish to gray, while its plastron is yellow and its neck and legs display bright orange hues. An omnivore, it feeds on plants, fruits, carrion, and insects. Wood Turtles usually nest on sandy or gravelly riverbanks, roadsides, railway embankments, and gravel pits. In Quebec, they are found across several regions south of the 49th parallel.
Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)
This uniquely named species is listed as vulnerable in Quebec and of special concern in Canada (COSEWIC). Its name comes from the patterns on its shell, reminiscent of contour lines on a topographic map. Its skin is brownish-green with fine yellow stripes. Primarily carnivorous, it feeds on mussels, crustaceans, fish, and insects, though it occasionally consumes aquatic plants. Spending most of its life in the water, it ventures onto land to lay eggs. In Canada, this turtle occurs only in southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec.
