2023-Dec-18
Parry Sound Area Man Fined $48,000 for Damaging Turtle Habitat
A Parry Sound area man has been ordered to pay $48,000 to the Georgian Bay Biosphere to assist in the protection and recovery of the Blanding’s Turtle, a species listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The court found that between 2016 and 2017, the McDougall man undertook road work within the Shebeshekong Wetland Conservation Reserve without obtaining a permit, which damaged a Blanding’s Turtle habitat.
Blanding’s Turtles are considered threatened in Ontario, with the most significant threat being loss of habitat mainly due to development and urban sprawl. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reminds citizens that activities impacting species at risk and protected habitat can be reported by calling 1-866-663-8477 or through their online reporting tool here.
Read more here.