Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) select populations COSEWIC assessment and status report 2016: chapter 2

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Technical summary - Nova Scotia population

Demographic information

Extent and occupancy information

Number of mature individuals (in each subpopulation)

^* Small concentration of individuals that may or may not be a part of one of the three main subpopulations (NS1-NS3)

^**Subpopulation just discovered in April 2016; 31 adults marked in 2 months so likely much larger.

Quantitative analysis

Threats (actual or imminent, to populations or habitats, from highest impact to least)

Rescue effect (immigration from outside Canada)

Data sensitive species

Status history

Status and reasons for designation

Applicability of criteria

Technical summary - Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population

Demographic information

Extent and occupancy information

Number of mature individuals (in each subpopulation)

^* Based on high sampling efforts (see Table 1) † based on average subpopulation estimates/region multiplied by number of atlas squares/region (see ‘Population Sizes and Trends – Abundance’).

^† Based on average subpopulation estimates/region multiplied by number of atlas squares/region (see ‘Population Sizes and Trends – Abundance’).

Quantitative analysis

Threats (actual or imminent, to populations or habitats, from highest impact to least)

Rescue effect (immigration from outside Canada)

Data sensitive species

Status history

Status and reasons for designation

Applicability of criteria

Preface

Research and stewardship activities have continued for the Nova Scotia population since the 2005 COSEWIC assessment, resulting in increased knowledge of distribution, population size, genetic structure, age-specific survivorship and habitat use. Ongoing research activities focus on searching for new subpopulations, identifying seasonal habitat sites and monitoring known subpopulations. Recovery activities include the continuation of an annual nest protection program, the release of headstarted turtles and the engagement of local volunteers and landowners. Since the last status assessment, four new subpopulations of Blanding’s Turtles have been identified and six parcels of habitat have been protected by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust (Porter pers. comm. 2014). One parcel of habitat has been purchased by the Province of Nova Scotia; it and several additional areas of important habitat on provincial crown lands are being considered for protection under the provincial protected areas program (Province of Nova Scotia 2013). The federal Recovery Strategy for Blanding’s Turtle, Nova Scotia population was published in 2012 (Parks Canada 2012) and a draft Action Plan is currently being developed. The Recovery Strategy partially identified critical habitat for the species.

Since the last status assessment, much research has been conducted on the Blanding’s Turtle, Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population. This research has included radio-telemetry of adults, hatchlings and headstarted juveniles; subpopulation monitoring at 13 sites in Ontario and two in Québec (with 2-21 years of sampling efforts conducted at each site); a province-wide genetic study in Ontario and large search efforts in Québec. All of this research has greatly increased our knowledge of distribution, habitat requirements, home range sizes, demography, local abundances, and threats to Blanding’s Turtles. Despite large sampling efforts, most monitored subpopulations appear to maintain low numbers of Blanding’s Turtles, even in areas that have abundant habitat and high densities of other wetland turtle species. Most importantly, long-term population monitoring efforts across Ontario have revealed large declines and high annual mortality rates of adults, even within protected areas, and there are many sites where the species used to be commonly observed but is no longer or rarely seen. Habitat loss is continuing across the region due to invasive species, various types of development and wetland alterations. A proposed federal Recovery Strategy for the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population was posted for review in March 2016 (Environment Canada 2016) and a recovery strategy has been posted under the Ontario Endangered Species Act (ESA) (Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) in Ontario (PDF version; 581 KB)).

COSEWIC history

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) was created in 1977 as a result of a recommendation at the Federal-Provincial Wildlife Conference held in 1976. It arose from the need for a single, official, scientifically sound, national listing of wildlife species at risk. In 1978, COSEWIC designated its first species and produced its first list of Canadian species at risk. Species designated at meetings of the full committee are added to the list. On June 5, 2003, the Species at Risk Act (SARA) was proclaimed. SARA establishes COSEWIC as an advisory body ensuring that species will continue to be assessed under a rigorous and independent scientific process.

COSEWIC mandate

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assesses the national status of wild species, subspecies, varieties, or other designatable units that are considered to be at risk in Canada. Designations are made on native species for the following taxonomic groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, arthropods, molluscs, vascular plants, mosses, and lichens.

COSEWIC membership

COSEWIC comprises members from each provincial and territorial government wildlife agency, four federal entities (Canadian Wildlife Service, Parks Canada Agency, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Federal Biodiversity Information Partnership, chaired by the Canadian Museum of Nature), three non-government science members and the co-chairs of the species specialist subcommittees and the Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge subcommittee. The Committee meets to consider status reports on candidate species.

Definitions (2016)

Wildlife species

A species, subspecies, variety, or geographically or genetically distinct population of animal, plant or other organism, other than a bacterium or virus, that is wild by nature and is either native to Canada or has extended its range into Canada without human intervention and has been present in Canada for at least 50 years.

Extinct (X)

A wildlife species that no longer exists.

Extirpated (XT)

A wildlife species no longer existing in the wild in Canada, but occurring elsewhere.

Endangered (E)

A wildlife species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.

Threatened (T)

A wildlife species likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed.

Special concern (SC)
(Note: Formerly described as “Vulnerable” from 1990 to 1999, or “Rare” prior to 1990.)

A wildlife species that may become a threatened or an endangered species because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.

Not at risk (NAR)
(Note: Formerly described as “Not in any category”, or “No designation required.”)

A wildlife species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk of extinction given the current circumstances.

Data deficient (DD)
(Note: Formerly described as “Indeterminate” from 1994 to 1999 or “ISIBD” [insufficient scientific information on which to base a designation] prior to 1994. Definition of the [DD] category revised in 2006.)

A category that applies when the available information is insufficient (a) to resolve a species’ eligibility for assessment or (b) to permit an assessment of the species’ risk of extinction.

The Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, provides full administrative and financial support to the COSEWIC Secretariat.