That’s a pretty basic idea. To protect a forest bird, we need to protect the forest – and not just the tree where she builds her nest. And to protect a Blanding’s Turtle, we need to protect the wetlands she depends upon – not just a log that she basks on.

Unfortunately, the Ontario government has decided to reduce habitat protection for threatened and endangered species in Ontario. Under the Endangered Species Act, one well documented observation of a Blanding’s Turtle would protect wetlands up to two kilometers from where the turtle was observed. Earlier this year the Ontario government repealed the Endangered Species Act and replaced it with the much weaker Species Conservation Act. The new act will protect the “dwelling place” of threatened and endangered species. What is a dwelling place? Based on the draft guidelines, it appears that for a Blanding’s Turtle a dwelling place will be no more than a single wetland.

On the Move

Isn’t that good enough? Isn’t protecting wetlands two kilometres from where a Blanding’s Turtle was seen unreasonable? Surely Blanding’s Turtles don’t wander that far. In fact, Blanding’s Turtles are very mobile and they make use of a variety of habitats over the course of the spring and summer. One study from Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario found that some turtles tracked using radio transmitters moved more than two kilometres and one female moved six kilometres! Another study in Massachusetts tracked a Blanding’s Turtle that moved over three kilometres and many others moved over one kilometre. I have radio-tracked Blanding’s Turtles and have seen these kinds of movements for myself. One adult female I tracked moved further than one and a half kilometres.

Blanding’s Turtles don’t just move for fun, they need to move. A shallow wetland in spring might warm up faster and be good for feeding. If that wetland dries up, they may move to a deeper wetland. As the summer progresses they may move from one wetland to another like a diner at a buffet restaurant sampling the different food areas. And come late fall, the turtles will move to another wetland to spend the winter. One wetland is not enough! A study in Maine found that a Blanding’s Turtle could make use of up to 20 different wetlands over the course of the active season!

Much Less Protection for Ontario’s At-risk Turtles

Given that amount of movement and the number of wetlands that can be used, protecting one wetland is not enough. How does this play out on the ground? Since 2017, the CWF turtle team has been surveying for Blanding’s Turtles to find them in previously undocumented areas. We knew that each point on the map could protect numerous wetlands for Blanding’s Turtles and all the other species that depend upon those waterbodies. Now that protection is greatly reduced.

Look at the aerial image in this blog. The yellow point represents where we observed a Blanding’s Turtle in a wetland. The blue patches are wetlands as defined by the Ontario government. Under the old Endangered Species Act all of the wetlands in the image would be protected by that one observation of the Blanding’s Turtle. In fact, even more wetlands would be protected as the image just shows wetlands roughly 1 km from the Blanding’s Turtle observation. Under the new Species Conservation Act only the small blue patch where we saw the turtle would be protected. We would have to find and document a Blanding’s Turtle in each of the other wetlands to protect them as well.

How You Can Help

What can we do about the lack of habitat protection for our threatened and endangered species? Write your Member of Provincial Parliament. Tell them we need more habitat protection for these species. And if you see a Blanding’s Turtle please take a clear photo of it and post it to iNaturalist.ca. It may protect another wetland.

With a standard smartphone, you’ve got access to a digital camera and a GPS — add an internet connection and a can-do attitude and you’ve got all the tools you need to contribute to community science!

Why You Should Participate in Community Science

But why is it important to be part of community science? One of the biggest issues in conservation is that scientists can’t be everywhere at once. We simply don’t have the resources to confirm exactly which sites are being used by species at risk throughout their range. This is a major problem when you consider that legal protection of habitat is only granted to places where a species at risk has been confirmed to occur.

It’s more vital than ever that species at risk are documented in Ontario. Recently, the Ontario Government replaced the Endangered Species Act, 2007 with the Species Conservation Act, 2025. It is significantly more conservative with the legal protections it grants for documented species at risk.

Take the Blanding’s Turtle for example. Under the previous act, an observation of a single individual triggered protection for wetlands up to two kilometres away from where the individual was found. Under the new act, the current draft guidelines (at the time of writing this article) propose only the protection of the nearest wetland, and in many instances not even the entire wetland.

We are going from a system where a single observation could easily protect four or five wetlands, to one where at least one observation is required in each of these wetlands to protect the same area. This is not based on new information or a better understanding of how Blanding’s Turtles use their habitat. If anything, these new guidelines (Species Conservation Act, 2025) do not take into account the well-established fact that this species typically uses multiple wetlands at different times of the year and frequently travels overland to reach them, regardless of what we humans deem “convenient”.

How You Can Help the Blanding’s Turtle

As turtles start becoming active again, now is a great time to document turtles in your area. While the water is still cold, they will be spending more time basking on logs out of the water, making them easier to see and photograph. It is more important than ever to document all instances of species at risk. Even deceased individuals that didn’t make it across the road are important observations. If you do snap pics on the road, be mindful of traffic and make sure that it is safe to leave your car before photographing.

One of the easiest ways to submit these observations is through iNaturalist.ca. This app collects the photo, location, date and any notes you wish to submit together into a single record. Some projects, such as the Canadian Amphibians & Reptiles on Roads project, will even provide recommended data to submit so that scientists can make the most of your observation!

Not certain what you’re photographing? The app and community will help you. Try to take multiple clear photos from different angles to try to capture any key features of your subject – most turtle species in Ontario have very distinctive heads. The Blanding’s Turtle in particular can be identified from relatively far away thanks to its bright yellow throat.

We’ve mentioned the Blanding’s Turtle in this article because it has been a focus of our efforts here at the Canadian Wildlife Federation. As a globally endangered species, it is in the same category as the Blue Whale and Asian Elephant. However, it is relatively common in eastern Ontario, meaning that many of you can help it regain much of the previously protected habitat by reporting sightings.

So, the next time you head outdoors, take a close look at what’s in and around your local wetland. Your observation may help protect the home of a species at risk.

Learn more about our work with Freshwater Turtles.

In Atlantic Canada, there is a particular focus on North Atlantic Right Whales — a critically endangered species with a population of approximately 384 individuals. North Atlantic Right Whales are a migratory species found primarily along the Northeastern coast of Canada and the United States.

Entanglement in the vertical ropes, called buoylines, used in fixed-gear fisheries such as crab and lobster have been identified as the main cause of death and injury to North Atlantic Right Whales. One of the measures implemented by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to mitigate entanglement in these fisheries are time-area fishery closures. Time-area closures are activated when a North Atlantic Right Whale is detected, and no fishing gear is allowed in a defined area around the detected whale.

Although time-area closures are an effective way of preventing entanglement, fishing area closures can have serious financial implications for fish harvesters and coastal communities. On-demand fishing gear provides harvesters with the opportunity to continue fishing operations in the presence of North Atlantic Right Whales.

How On-demand Fishing Gear Helps Marine Wildlife

Also referred to as ‘ropeless’ or ‘pop-up gear’, on-demand fishing gear is an innovative technology that removes the persistent buoyline from the water column by keeping the buoyline at the seafloor. When a harvester is ready to haul their gear and collect their catch, an acoustic signal triggers the on-demand fishing gear system to release the buoyline, where the harvester can retrieve their gear as normal. As there aren’t persistent buoylines, on-demand fishing gear allows harvesters to fish in areas closed to traditional gear with buoylines to protect North Atlantic Right Whales.

Based in Halifax, N.S., the CanFISH Gear Lending Program is the first and largest lending program for adaptive fishing gear in Canada. CanFISH is equipped with over 175 on-demand fishing gear systems and a team of trained and skilled technicians that provide on-demand fishing gear and training for crab and lobster harvesters throughout the Maritimes. The program aims to support harvesters experiencing fisheries closures and reduce barriers to accessing on-demand fishing gear.

There are two types of on-demand fishing gear systems available through CanFISH:

1. A lift-bag system, where compressed air inflates a bag, bringing the buoyline to the surface.
2. A rope containment system, where the buoyline is held at depth in a bag, cage or on a spool. When the system is released, the rope uncoils and is brought to the surface by attached buoys.

The continuous efforts of the CanFISH Gear Lending Program demonstrate both the need and interest for on-demand fishing technology as an available and affordable tool when faced with North Atlantic Right Whale closures. Through years of engagement, the Canadian Wildlife Federation team has established strong collaboration with harvester partners and fishing associations that continue to inform and guide our program and expose the commercial fishing industry to alternatives to traditional gear.

Earlier this year, Fisheries and Oceans Canada released Canada’s Whale Safe Fishing Gear Strategy, which details how on-demand fishing gear will be used as a tool to support sustainable fishing practices. Gear lending programs such as CanFISH are important in this development, as they alleviate the barriers of access to on-demand fishing gear by providing the gear, training and knowledge to use it effectively during a closure, all across the Maritimes.

As long as large whales such as North Atlantic Right Whales frequent Atlantic Canadian waters and fishery closures continue to occur, harvesters should have the opportunity to utilize on-demand fishing gear to co-exist with whales.

Learn more about how the Canadian Wildlife Federation is helping marine species and wildlife.

Its scientific name, Monarda fistulosa, honours the 16th century Spanish physician botanist Nicolas Bautista Monardes, who never travelled to the Americas yet became one of its most enthusiastic chroniclers. Fascinated by the plants arriving off cargo ships from the New World, he studied dozens of species for their medicinal properties. The species name “fistulosa” comes from the Latin word for “tubular” — a reference to the plant’s pipe-like petals. Known most commonly as Wild Bergamot, it also goes by Bee Balm and Horsemint.

Wild Bergamot grows wild in grasslands, woodland edges and thickets, along roadsides and in wet meadows. It can be found growing across an array of provinces from British Columbia to Quebec. It is a hardy plant, tolerating a variety of soil both moist and dry be it clay, sandy or lime, and flourishes in full sun.

In the summer, lavender-pink tubular flowers burst open like small pompoms, standing atop stems approximately a metre tall. The leaves are typically smooth on top and hairy underneath — if you brush against them, you’ll catch a minty scent.

Beyond its beauty, Wild Bergamot plays an important ecological role. Its bloom period, stretching from midsummer to September, provides a sustained food source for pollinators. Long-tongued bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths are drawn to its nectar, as are predatory wasps that help keep garden pests in check. It is a valuable nectar source for the Monarch Butterfly, an endangered pollinator that is at risk in part due to the loss of sources of nectar across its range, making this native bloom even more important. Come fall and winter, American Goldfinches flock to the dried seedheads, picking them clean of seeds.

Gardeners prize Wild Bergamot for its hardiness and like that it is a manageable addition to the garden, spreading slowly, unlike some of its more aggressive cousins. Its aromatic leaves can also be steeped to make a lovely tea!

Before you plant Wild Bergamot in your garden, one small caveat: Wild Bergamot can develop powdery mildew on its leaves. While the mildew won’t harm the flower, you can keep it in check by ensuring there’s enough space around it for proper air circulation, watering at the base of the plant rather than on its leaves and planting in full sun.

Author: Mary Whittaker, Canadian Wildlife magazine, July/August 2026

One of the perks of my work is that I get to help choose the wild species we are talking about! We try to show a wide variety of living things from all over Canada. So when my team and I decided we hadn’t been to film in British Columbia’s coastal rainforest is such a long time, I was stoked! One thing about me is I tend to like the weirdest creatures, including the ones most find “unappealing”, let’s say. And given that we had never talked about a gastropod at HWW, this was my chance! You see, gastropods are among the few groups of animals to have become successful in all three major habitats: the ocean, freshwater systems, and land. They’re all really neat!

This year, we will get to meet the Banana Slug! We launched our latest video and fact sheet on this slimy critter on June 6, 2026. But why the Banana Slug? For one, I’m always a fan of animals who look like fruit. Who wouldn’t be?!? But seriously, gastropods are fascinating! They are part of the phylum (or group) Molluska, like octopus and oysters. These guys are boneless animals which often have a hard shell they produce to protect themselves. Slugs and snails make up the class Gastropoda, a group of mollusks, which means “foot stomach”. It’s a fact that they only have one massive foot on their bodies, that are mainly comprised of a stomach. While snails have this cool shell to hide in, slugs do not, which means they need to find some other means of protection. And if you are a soft, slow, almost toothless creature, that’s not easy! Many slugs rely on their mucus, the slimy stuff they produce to help them move around, give them a foul taste or become so sticky that they’re not easily swallowed. Some are even toxic!

The Banana Slug, our yellowish, gastropod, is no different. It produces a mucus that numbs the mouth of birds or mammals that try to eat it! Some reptilian predators even get their mouths stuck shut because of the thick slime! Still, if you end up in a predator’s mouth, it’s not ideal, so the Banana Slug is good at hiding on the dense rainforest’s floor to prevent this. Even if it’s Canada’s longest slug, and some of the largest terrestrial slugs on Earth, it’s definitely hard to find in the shady, humid areas below the massive trees of that habitat.

This summer, HWW will be talking about some of the rainforest’s most charismatic species, including the Banana Slug. Want to find out more about it? If you’re visiting the rainforest this summer, get out, watch where you lay your feet as you walk (you wouldn’t want to step on one) and look around on the forest floor! You might find one of these important creatures sliding around! And don’t forget to check out the HWW social media and website, at www.hww.ca, to get more information about the Banana Slug!

This school year, WILD Education newsletters supported learning across the seasons:

Fall: Trees and Seeds, Nocturnal Wildlife and Migration
Winter: Adaptation and Hibernation and Brumation
Spring: Thaw and Pollinators and Plants

Each theme encouraged outdoor learning, inquiry and stewardship — helping students understand that nature is not something “out there,” but something we are part of.

Celebrating Educators & Students

“What if I told you that by being in the outdoors, we can not only change landscapes, but people too? That’s my mission, because through getting people involved in the outdoors, I believe we can change the world.” – Nate Wilbourne, 14 years old.

Whether you transformed a schoolyard, planted pollinator gardens, used Project WILD activities or simply took learning outdoors more often — your efforts matter. Research continues to show that time in nature supports student well-being, engagement and learning, and this year clearly demonstrated what’s possible when educators make space for nature.

We celebrate you for:

• fostering curiosity and care
• supporting student voice and action
• bringing learning to life beyond classroom walls

WILD Education Workshops

There’s still time to continue your WILD learning journey! Join us for a WILD Education Workshop on June 27 in Mississauga, where educators will explore Project WILD activities and practical ways to bring nature-based learning into all seasons.

1. Mississauga in-person workshop: June 27. Learn More
2. Can’t attend? Join the workshop waitlist to be notified when future opportunities are available. Sign up for the waitlist.

Summer Ideas for Students

This summer is a great time to discover CWF’s non-formal and informal education programs, designed for youth, families and lifelong learners:

Non-Formal Education Programs

• WILD Outside — This program shows young people (ages 13 to 18) the joys of environmental stewardship, community service and connecting with nature.
• Canadian Conservation Corps (CCC) — This program (for youth aged 18 to 30), inspires participants to develop their passion for conservation, awareness of their natural environment and a deeper appreciation for service to their community.
• Love Your Lake — In partnership with Watersheds Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation and landowners protect shoreline ecosystems and water health. Nominate a lake near you to be part of the program.
• WILD Generations — This program encourages intergenerational knowledge sharing, social inclusion, civic engagement and service-learning through outdoor activities and conservation actions.

Informal Education Programs

• Gardening for Wildlife — Every wildlife-friendly garden is a haven that can act as a stepping stone between other gardens, parks and larger areas of natural habitat. Start your garden today!
• WILD Family Nature Club — Become a club member for free and gain access to a variety of outdoor resources. Earn badges by taking part in self-directed activities. Join a local club to take part in community events!
• Nature Sketch — Learn how to sketch nature in a workshop. Email cwfeducation@cwf-fcf.org for more information.
• Hinterland Who’s Who — Continue learning about wildlife and habitats at your own speed at Hinterland Who’s Who. Download the WILD Gang app for even more fun.

These programs help nurture curiosity, stewardship and connection — at any age. Learn more on the Canadian Wildlife Federation Education website.

Wishing You a WILD Summer!

As the school year wraps up, we wish you time to rest, recharge and reconnect with nature. Whether that happens in a forest, garden, backyard or lakeshore, we hope summer brings moments of wonder and reflection.

Thank you for being part of the WILD Education community. We look forward to learning with you again in the fall!

Happy summer!

For more educational resources, sign up for our WILD Spaces newsletter, where you learn how to plant a pollinator garden in your schoolyard.

It’s Time to Plant!

Spring has arrived, the soil is warming up, May long weekend has passed and it’s time to get planting in your WILD Space!

Whether you received native plants through the WILD Spaces program or sourced them locally, or grew them from seed, May is all about turning plans into action and watching your garden come to life.

This month, we’re focusing on planting with care, curiosity, and connection — and letting students get their hands dirty.

Planting with Students: Learning in Action

Planting day is more than a gardening task — it’s a powerful learning moment. Consider inviting students to:

• Take turns planting and watering
• Label plants with markers
• Predict which plants pollinators might visit first
• Sketch or photograph the garden before and after planting
• Reflect on how the space feels now that plants are in the ground

Planting Day — Tips for Success

Before you dig in, here are a few quick reminders to help your planting day go smoothly:

• Choose the right day: Aim for a cool, overcast day or plant in the morning to reduce stress on young plants.
•  Water before and after planting: Well‑hydrated plants adjust more easily to their new home.
•  Give plants space to grow:  Follow spacing guidelines on your plant chart — crowding can make it harder for plants to thrive.
•  Mulch lightly: A thin layer of mulch helps retain moisture and protects soil.
• Be gentle with roots: Students should loosen roots carefully and plant at the same depth the plant was growing in its pot.

Host a pollinator-themed lunch to enjoy by your new garden. Don’t forget to bring your garden exploration kit.

Teachers, you’re doing a great job!

You probably already believe in what you’re doing, but here’s some more evidence that proves what you’re doing is impactful.

• The Effect of School Gardens on Children’s Interpersonal Relationships and Attitudes Toward School
• School gardens lead to more positive attitudes about the environment, study finds
• Student drawings reflect greater plant and insect diversity after schools install monarch butterfly gardens
• Growing minds by growing school garden

Thanks For Growing with Us!

Thank you for creating space for wildlife and giving students the chance to learn, grow, and connect with nature. Every plant you add makes a difference — and we’re so excited to see what you plant next!

If you discovered this blog on our website, be sure to sign up for the WILD Spaces e‑blast.

Wildfires can cause significant damage to communities and ecosystems. Yet, fire itself is not always bad. In fact, when used intentionally and carefully, fire can be a powerful tool for maintaining healthy landscapes. This is sometimes referred to as “good fire,” or more formally, prescribed fire.

In ecology, fire is termed a disturbance. This recognizes that fire alters the environment by removing vegetation and changing soil or habitat conditions. Disturbances are not inherently negative — many ecosystems across Canada have evolved with fire as a natural and necessary process. Fire is expected in most terrestrial Canadian ecosystems at some point — with the exception of aquatic systems. How often fire occurs depends on several factors:

• The amount of flammable fuel present
• Weather conditions (including temperature and humidity)
• Ignition sources like lightning or human activity

Reintroducing Fire When Needed

In cases where natural fire no longer occurs at appropriate intervals, prescribed fire can be used to safely reintroduce this process. Prescribed fires are carefully planned and carried out under a specific set of conditions that allow fire to burn in a controlled and beneficial way. These conditions include suitable weather, appropriate topography, trained staff and the proper equipment.

Consider a grassland where grazing is limited and dried grasses accumulate over time. Without disturbance, these fuels build up, increasing wildfire risk and reducing habitat quality. A prescribed fire can safely remove this excess fuel, restoring balance to the system and reducing the likelihood of more intense, uncontrolled fires in the future. A good example of this is the Prescribed Fire in Waterton National Park.

The results of a prescribed fire are often described using words like regeneration or restoration. Dead plant material is removed and the remaining plants gain improved access to sunlight, nutrients and space. Seeds stored in the soil— sometimes for many years — can be stimulated to germinate. Once vegetation starts to grow, wildlife are naturally attracted to this new, nutritious growth.

Prescribed fire also helps reduce invasive species and limits the spread of unwanted woody plants, such as shrubs and trees, that are not suited to grassland ecosystems. Species at risk that rely on open habitats may gain more space to grow and a competitive advantage under these renewed conditions.

Other Benefits of Prescribed Fire

Reduced risk

Prescribed fire is also used to reduce wildfire risk, particularly in areas close to homes or infrastructure. By lowering fuel loads in a controlled manner, prescribed fire can limit the intensity and spread of future wildfires. In forested areas with heavy ground vegetation, fire can move from the forest floor into tree canopies, creating dangerous, high‑intensity fires that pose significant risks to firefighters and the public.

Restoration and land management

Prescribed fire is an effective tool for site preparation and habitat maintenance. It can remove unwanted vegetation to improve seed‑to‑soil contact before planting. In meadows dominated by tall, aggressive grasses, a fall or spring burn can set back dominant growth and allow shorter, less competitive species to grow well again. Prescribed fire is also used by seed producers to stimulate seed production in certain species, such as big bluestem, which responds positively to burning.

Cultural fire

For many Indigenous Nations, fire has long been used as a cultural and land stewardship practice, supporting food systems, biodiversity, and community well‑being. These practices were disrupted and prohibited through colonial policies, leading to profound impacts on Indigenous communities and the land itself. Today, the renewed use of cultural and prescribed fire—when led by Indigenous knowledge holders or carried out in respectful partnership—can support both ecological restoration and the revitalization of cultural practices.

To learn more about prescribed fire visit the website rxfire.cae.

Prescribed Fire Training

The successful use of prescribed fire depends on having properly trained and equipped crews on site. Each individual involved has a defined role and works within a clear chain of command, with strong communication maintained throughout the burn.

One way this training is achieved is through Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (TREX). These events provide opportunities for fire practitioners from a range of backgrounds to gain hands‑on experience under the guidance of experienced fire managers. This is a great way to undertake “good prescribed fire” in a number of regional area to meet land management goals.

My colleague, Vicky Papuga, participated in a TREX event where she gained practical experience supporting prescribed fire operations while working alongside fire professionals from across the region.

Stay tuned for a blog on her experience with a TREX.

Not all fire is bad, some can be “good fire” for ecosystems, wildlife and people.

Plenty!

The first thing is that many amphibians and reptiles cross roads and perish on those roads every year.

How did we collect 20,000 observations of amphibians and reptiles on roads? A few years ago, I created a project on iNaturalist called Canadian Amphibian and Reptiles on Roads. And observations from people across Canada have poured in of amphibians and reptiles – alive or dead – on roads. A big thank you to almost 3,000 people who contributed observations!

Recently, Reta Meng, a PhD candidate at McMaster University, and I analyzed these data. We found that reptiles greatly outnumbered amphibians, with just over 80 per cent of the observations being reptiles on roads. Such a strong bias towards reptiles was surprising and could be because a turtle or snake on a road is easier to spot than a small frog or salamander.

Why Do They Cross the Road?

The results are clear that many species of amphibians and reptiles cross roads for many reasons such as to get to breeding ponds, foraging areas or hibernation sites. There were observations of 68 different species of amphibians and reptiles:

• 23 species of snakes
• 20 species of frogs and toads
• 13 species of salamanders
• 8 species of turtles
• 4 species of lizards

While a large number of species were found on roads, the top 10 species accounted for three-quarters of all the observations.

We also found that the observations were strongly biased towards Ontario. Although Ontario represents less than 40 per cent of the Canadian population, 80 per cent of observation were made in the province. Clearly, iNaturalist is popular with people in Ontario. Despite these biases, there are observations from every province as well as the Northwest Territories, which had a few observations of Common Garter snakes on roads in the extreme south of NWT.

The Top Hitters

The most commonly reported species on roads was the Painted Turtle, making up almost one in four observations. It is not surprising that the Painted Turtle would be the top species found on roads, as it is the most widespread turtle in Canada, ranging from British Columbia to Nova Scotia.

Here were the top five species on roads:

1. Painted Turtle
2. Snapping Turtle
3. Common Garter Snake
4. Blanding’s Turtle
5. Northern Leopard Frog (the only amphibian in the top five)

Both the Garter Snake and the Leopard Frog are abundant and widespread so it is not surprising they would be among the species mostly commonly found on roads.

Overall, turtles as a group made up more than 40 per cent of the observations, demonstrating just how much a risk roads pose to turtles. In contrast, lizards made up less than one per cent of the observations. This result is likely not because lizards wisely avoid roads, but because lizards are rare or absent in most parts of Canada and these small reptiles are likely harder to see on roads compared with snakes and turtles.

Provincial Breakdown

Looking at the data by province, most provinces had a snake or turtle as the top species observed on roads. One surprising exception was British Columbia. This province had the second most observations of amphibians and reptiles on roads. In BC, the top species was the Rough-skinned Newt — a salamander — which made up almost a quarter of the observations from that province.

Despite being the top species in Canada, the Painted Turtle was the most commonly reported species only in Ontario, although it was in the top three species in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Tracking Wildlife Road Fatalities

The number of observations has been growing each year as more people start using iNaturalist. In 2024, there were more than 4,700 observations of amphibians and reptiles on roads in Canada. Considering that fewer people are using iNaturalist in provinces outside of Ontario, and that the data are biased against small frogs and salamanders, the true number of amphibians and reptiles found on roads each year could easily be double that number. That is a lot of potential roadkill.

If you would like to find out more about our results, you can read the complete scientific paper >

It is never too late to join iNaturalist.ca and contribute your own observations of amphibians and reptiles on the roads — or off.

Learn more about our work with freshwater turtles.

It’s important to note that not all overwinter as eggs, some species overwinter as caterpillars and others as pupae. Caterpillars are extraordinary insects from their unique colouring, to their spotted and sometimes striped patterns. Caterpillars can be smooth or fuzzy and have six legs. A fun fact about caterpillars is that they do not breathe through their mouth but through tiny openings known as spiracles along the sides of their body. Every year caterpillars undergo transformation also known as metamorphosis. The four stages of development for butterflies and moths include egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (butterfly chrysalis/moth cocoon) and emerging as an adult.

What role do butterflies, moths and flies play in nature?

A variety of these insects feed on the nectar of flowers. By collecting pollen with their bodies and carrying pollen to other native plants, they help in seed production. In turn, pollination helps fruits, vegetables and flowers produce new seeds.

Get to know your caterpillars

Can you guess what this peculiar caterpillar transforms into? If you guessed the native Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis), you’d be correct! When newly hatched, the tiger swallowtail caterpillar is brown and white and resembles bird droppings. However, it soon develops into a smooth green caterpillar with an enlarged area behind the head that sports two eyespots. Tiger swallowtail caterpillars like to feed on the treetops of tulip trees, cherry, willow and ash, among other species.

Once transformed, this caterpillar changes its bright green appearance to a pastel yellow with black tiger-like stripes.

Not everything you see is actually a caterpillar!

Next up we have a yellowish-white larva with a black stripe running down its back. This is known as a sawfly larva and turns into an Elm Sawfly (Cimbex americanus). Although they look very similar to caterpillars and are often mistaken for one another, this larva transforms into a wasp and is not a caterpillar!

Caterpillars in all shapes and sizes

This next caterpillar species is a vibrant green with a wavy shape. As larvae develop they go through different stages known as “instars”. They are typically green in the first instar and may change into a variety of colours in later instars like a brownish-red or they can stay green. Any guesses as to what this particular caterpillar turns into? If you guessed a moth, then you are correct! This is the Blinded Sphinx Moth (Paonias excaecata) of the Sphingidae family and can be found in most of Canada except for Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

 Caterpillars are fascinating insects and often go unnoticed! This summer we encourage you to look around your neighbourhoods to see what types of caterpillars are milling about! Snap a photo and upload it to iNaturalist Canada to help you identify what species of caterpillar you are seeing! Happy observing!