Now in their 12th and 5th years respectively, the START and CARES projects continued their work protecting Ontario’s at-risk reptiles and amphibians in 2024 through monitoring populations, mitigating road mortality, and engaging communities across a wide swath of central Ontario.

Field teams and trained volunteers conducted wetland and road surveys focused on Blanding’s and Spotted Turtles, along with targeted surveys for the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Eastern Hog-nosed Snake, and Eastern Foxsnake. The season produced nearly 2,400 species-at-risk observations. Nearly 800 reptiles found alive on roads were safely moved out of harm’s way, and technicians worked to identify and monitor key hibernation and gestation sites to support long-term population protection. Since the project’s inception, the team has processed and observed well over 13,000 SAR turtles and snakes, one of the largest datasets of its kind in Ontario.

Among the project’s initiatives, the Reptile Hotline logged 967 calls and reports in 2024, continuing to serve as a vital link between the public and the conservation team by helping to identify road mortality hotspots, estimate population and movement patterns, recruit volunteers, and secure relationships with landowners to protect critical habitat. Community volunteer training continued to expand this year with 82 volunteers trained across the region, including new partnerships with grassroots turtle conservation groups in the Greater Toronto Area. The team also delivered dozens of educational presentations and displays, bringing conservation messaging to families and community groups throughout the project area.

Reduced funding limited the scope of surveys and education programming in 2024, but the project’s core work continued. The team is planning to expand research partnerships including new studies on turtle genetics and habitat use as funding is restored. START and CARES remain committed to expanding  on more than a decade’s worth of data to protect Ontario’s most vulnerable reptile and amphibian species.