TRA-904: ROAD MORTALITY HOT SPOTS OF TURTLES: A THREE-YEAR MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION STUDY IN BRANT COUNTY, ONTARIO

Road mortality has a significant depressive effect on turtle populations in southern Ontario and mitigation measures to reduce turtle road mortality are therefore increasingly being incorporated into road construction projects in the province. This has included the installation of “ecopassages” beneath roadways which enable turtles and other animals to safely move between habitats. These measures are most effective if they are installed at locations with frequent turtle movement and high road mortality rates. We conducted a detailed multi-seasonal survey of turtle road mortality in order to identify mortality “hot spots” along a 4.85 km stretch of highway in Brant County, Ontario. In total, 122 unique observations of dead turtles of two species (midland painted turtle [Chrysemys picta marginata] and snapping turtle [Chelydra serpentina]) were made. Spatial statistical analysis of mortality data using geographic information system (GIS) software was then used to identify mortality hot spots. These hot spots are being used to determine appropriate locations for installing ecopassages and other mitigation measures to reduce turtle mortality along this stretch of highway