Research and protection

The Common snapping turtle is a species as risk, officially classified as "special concern". The main threats to Snapping turtle populations are habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and human persecution. Due to natural causes such as predation, only one in every 1,400 hatchling turtles will survive to adulthood. A snapping turtle must be 15 to 20 years old to reproduce. When many adult snapping turtles are hit and killed by vehicles or persecuted by humans, it has an extremely significant effect on the species as a whole.

Eco-passages and exclusion fencing allow wildlife to cross underneath roads safely.

A snapping turtle using an Eco-passage.

Parks Canada is working to protect and restore Snapping turtles populations at Bruce Peninsula National Park through the On the Road to Recovery project. This includes the installation of eco-passages and fencing on roadways, artificial turtle nesting sites, and restoration of important creek habitat.

You can help snapping turtles by driving cautiously in and around the park, and by reporting turtle sightings (dead or alive) on the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas App. You can also join our Citizen Science volunteer program to help monitor and protect nesting and hatching turtles!