Every spring, researchers living at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station gather up the turtles from study sites in Algonquin Provincial Park and bring them in for their annual ‘check-up.’ Each turtle is carefully weighed and measured, looked over for body condition, and lastly, Painted Turtles have their unique shell notches transcribed as painted numbers on their shells before being released back to their home. For the rest of the season, researchers will observe the individual turtles’ behavior from afar as they go about their turtle business: basking in the sun, and, in late June, venturing onto a sandy embankment to dig a nest cavity and lay their eggs.

Summer 2021 marks the fiftieth year of this study—the longest, continuous study of freshwater turtles in the world. Here in Ontario all 8 of our native turtle species are listed as species-at-risk. Understanding aspects of their biology, like growth and reproduction, is crucial to informing conservation efforts. This project is supervised by Dr. Jacqueline Litzgus (Full Professor, Laurentian University), Dr. Njal Rollinson (Assistant Professor, University of Toronto) and Dr. Ronald J. Brooks (Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph).

Meet the Researchers behind the Turtle Project!

Jessica Leivesley

PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto

Jessica is specifically interested in how a changing climate is affecting turtles. Her research focuses on one fascinating aspect of both the Snapping Turtle and Painted Turtle’s biology: temperature-dependent sex determination. In this system, rather than biological sex being determined genetically, sex is determined by the temperatures experienced by the egg as it incubates in the nest. For Snapping Turtles, consistent temperatures between 23-27 degrees Celsius produces males, while temperatures above or below this produces females.

Claudia Lacroix

Master of Science student at the University of Toronto

Claudia’s research has focused on investigating the sounds, referred to as vocalizations, made by hatchling Snapping Turtles. In her recent studies, she listened in on Snapping Turtle eggs as they incubated in the nest and hatched. Claudia’s recent experiments have shown that hatchling Snapping Turtles make five distinct sounds as they hatch and then dig themselves out of the nest!

Mariel Terebiznik

Master of Science student at the University of Toronto

Mariel’s research focuses on answering the question of why temperature-dependent sex determination evolved in the first place and why it persists as a strategy in Painted Turtles. What advantages might it have? Her investigation of possible explanations for this strategy delves deep into evolutionary theory and relies on the long-term data that has been collected on this population over the course of fifty years.

This panel was put together in partnership with the amazing Samantha Stephens, a biologist turned photographer for science and conservation. Sam is a National Geographic Explorer, an Emerging League Member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and an Ambassador for Girls Who Click. This is her third season documenting research at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station. This would not have been possible without her efforts!

All photos by Samantha Stephens!