Silver and Gold Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 11

Why didn’t the TURTLE cross the road? REPTILE Rendezvous JANUARY 23 to APRIL 17, 2016 RBG CENTRE – By Tys Theysmeyer RBG partners got into the turtle conservation effort as well. Following RBG’s Cootes Drive pilot studies with temporary fencing to prevent road-kills, City of Hamilton established a permanent wildlife barrier fence along the length of Cootes Drive between McMaster University property and Spencer Creek to prevent wildlife such as wandering/nesting female turtles, from getting crushed on the road. Following this theme, Hamilton Conservation Authority constructed a temporary fence on the north side of Cootes Drive (opposite from RBG) to reduce road kills, contributed an intern to monitor how it works, and contributed to Phragmites management in the same area.Volunteers with Dundas Turtlewatch patrolled Cootes Drive, King Road and Olympic Drive looking for turtles in jeopardy of being hit, and several adult and hatchling turtles were rescued. Engage with the wild and wonderful world of turtles, lizards, snakes and more! COME SHELL-EBR AT WITH ME! E Hydro One, a property owner at the back of Cootes Paradise, also contributed and improved fencing at their works yard (to ensure turtles don’t wander in) complemented by custom nesting sites outside the fence (and turtles nested in them). And to round it out, McMaster University also got into the act by adding nesting sites to the area it’s renaturalizing along Ancaster Creek, found immediately up