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Wildlife Featured in this article
- Wood turtle
- Blanding's turtle
- Four-toed salamander
Wood turtle surveys expand known distribution in Quebec
Discoveries help province plan conservation for vulnerable species
Surveys are expanding the known distribution of wood turtles in the Outaouais region in western Quebec. Researchers are surveying wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) and three other species: the western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata), Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) and four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) on a two-year project. A team found only three turtles in areas not usually covered by wildlife surveys, but nests and other traces led them to believe there were more along the Coulonge River north of Ottawa. These efforts will help the province plan conservation and designate protected areas for the turtles, considered vulnerable in Quebec.
Header Image: A juvenile wood turtle Credit: Colin Osborn/USFWS