Earlier this month, an injured turtle was rescued near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River in Wasaga Beach, Ont. But while it’s not rare to find a common snapping turtle or a midland painted turtle near the popular vacation town, this particular shelled critter appeared to be a long way from home. Long as in more than 10,000 kilometres away from its natural habitat.
Leigh Hendricks, who helped rescue the animal, is a local nature enthusiast with a penchant for reptiles and amphibians. So when her neighbours discovered an injured turtle in the river near their home, Leigh—who also lives at the mouth of the Nottawasaga—was their first call.
Immediately, she knew this was no local turtle. “It had flippers and a very cute nose and eyes,” says Leigh. It also had a unique skin-covered shell, as opposed to the hard exterior shells most Ontario species possess. After confirming with a local reptile zoo volunteer, the turtle was identified as a fly river turtle, also known as a pig-nosed turtle, named for its adorable snout.
Photo courtesy Reptilia Zoo Whitby
According to Ashley Maika, the community engagement coordinator at Reptilia Zoo Whitby, Ont., fly river turtles are found in North Africa and Indonesia and are an endangered species. In the wild, she says, they are hunted as food or for use in traditional medicine. At the same time, they’re an incredibly cute species of turtle, and so they are often captured and sold as exotic pets, which Maika says is likely how one ended up in Wasaga Beach.
Once Leigh, with the help of neighbours and family members, was able to capture the turtle, which is now named “Dinosaur,” Reptilia Zoo was contacted and a staff member drove up from Whitby in the middle of the night to collect the injured animal. Dinosaur, who Maika says is likely an adult female turtle aged anywhere between 10 and 20 years old, is currently recovering from her injuries at Reptilia Zoo.
Photo by Leigh Hendricks
In addition to several cuts and exposed bone on her “plaster” or tummy, Dinosaur had been exposed to the frigid waters long enough to have collected a number of zebra mussels. In her natural habitat, Dinosaur would have enjoyed 26°C or 32°C waters, but on the day she was found in the Nottawasaga, Leigh says the water was just 19°C.
“It looks like she’s had a pretty rough go,” says Maika. But despite the odds, Dinosaur is on the road to recovery. “We are seeing some minor signs of improvement, which is really good to see.” Once she has fully recovered, Dinosaur will likely remain at Reptilia Zoo Whitby, where she will be on exhibit alongside the zoo’s male fly river turtle named Bacon.
“Her road to recovery will be long and uncertain, but we want to celebrate every small victory,” reads a recent Facebook update from the zoo. “After all, slow and steady wins the race.”
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