natural areas inventory - Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)National Status: ThreatenedProvincial Status:ThreatenedNiagara NAI: Localized (4 sites of 11historic confirmed duringstudy; 4 of 12 Niagara RMtownships)Map # 38R.TervoThis species has large home ranges requiring movement between habitat features used during their lifecycle. These features include ponds or sloughs for hibernation, wetlands, creeks and nesting sites(COSEWIC 2005; Seburn 2007). It was recently found basking in wetland slough forest ponds, walkingalong roadsides and ditches in the southern townships of Niagara region. Niagara historic range andpresent observations closely match therefore distribution has not overly changed except for the LakeOntario tributaries where there are no recent observations to report. The areas of Jordan Harbour andEstuaries of Fifteen and Sixteen Mile were surveyed by boat in 2008 and this species was not observed.Observations in Fort Erie are also lacking for this species; however it is probably still present.Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)National Status: ThreatenedProvincial Status:EndangeredNiagara NAI: Localized probably extirpated (1historic site needs searching in 1township)Map #39 Data SensitiveR.TervoThis endangered species was observed in Fort Erie in the late 1980’s, however the area was not searchedduring this survey period. Since they are a long-lived species it is possible that a few individuals may stillbe around but it is unlikely that a viable population exists (Smith pers com; COSEWIC 2007). As with theBox turtle, it is also possible that the observations were from released individuals as this was a popularpet trade species (M.Oldham pers. com.). Further field work is needed to verify this occurrence record.Natural Heritage Areas Inventory, 2010 12-33