Hope for Wildlife saving turtles hit by cars
Summertime driving in the Maritimes often means looking out for deer. But one wildlife rehabilitation organization is urging drivers to keep an eye out for an animal that’s not so easy to spot: turtles.
While turtles are usually found near water, the warm summer months see the reptiles search for dry land to lay their eggs. That’s why Hope for Wildlife, a non-profit that began back in 1997, is currently rehabilitating 30 turtles who have been hit by cars.
Hope for Wildlife founder, Hope Swinimer, explained that warm gravel is just the right consistency for turtles to lay their eggs.
Swinimer is asking drivers to slow down on the road and keep an eye out for turtles laying eggs or crossing the street. She encourages anyone who comes across a turtle that has been hit by a car to call or bring them to Hope for Wildlife.
“It’s really amazing what they can heal from,” she noted, adding that turtles are very resilient. “They can live through a lot of trauma and our doctor is incredibly good at fixing them up.”
That job belongs to Dr. Hazel Eaglesome, a veterinarian with Hope for Wildlife. Her work begins by assessing the injuries to the turtle while determining if the turtle is both conscious and can move their limbs. Next, it’s on to the x-ray booth to identify any internal injuries.
“We try and make it as quick as possible for them because a lot of them this time of year are coming in with eggs and they want a place to lay them,” she said.
While the job can wear heavy on the heart, Eaglesome says she’s very glad to be helping rehabilitate injured animals.
“They fascinate me,” she noted. “I’m just thrilled to be working with them.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.