“Turtles are one of the most endangered vertebrates on the planet; seven of eight in Ontario are listed as species at risk,” said Sue Carstairs, executive and medical director of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough. The province has taken a bite out of the snapping turtle hunt, banning it permanently to give the species a chance to rebound. Snapping turtles can live 100 years, but it takes about 20 years for them to mature. The federation does not believe snapping turtles are at risk, saying the ministry has not produced any data. “The time wasted on making this change and the campaigns to achieve it will do nothing for snapping turtles,” he said.

Source: thestar April 22, 2017 21:22 UTC