Turtle alert!
An endangered Western painted turtle was recently spotted near the outdoor riding arena at Burnaby Lake and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations says it was likely looking for a suitable place to nest.
The turtle was spotted by the NOW on June 26 at the Burnaby Horsemen Association facilities on the east side of Burnaby Lake. A biologist with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations confirmed the turtle was in fact an endangered western painted turtle, the only indigenous pond turtle left in the province.
When the NOW spotted the turtle at the end of June, it was appeared content wandering around the equestrian facilities, including the large outdoor ring adjacent to the parking lot at the Avalon entrance to Burnaby Lake. In fact, the horses were more concerned about the turtle rather than the other way around. The female turtle appeared to be looking for a suitable place to nest, but according to the ministry's biologist the bark mulch in the arena wouldn't be the best place for it. The turtles prefer sandier locations, as the bark mulch would likely be too warm underground, where the eggs are kept.
According to the ministry, the turtle was probably digging a test pit to see if she could nest in the mulch. The following week, however, there was no trace of a nest and it was doubtful she actually laid any eggs in the riding area. If she had chosen that particular spot that would have meant a more than 130 metre trek to Burnaby Lake for her roughly 13 offspring. The ministry biologist said that if the turtle had nested in the arena, she would have moved the eggs to the nesting beach on the edge of Burnaby Lake. The move would give the hatchlings a better chance of survival, while they gestate and when they hatch.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations is currently monitoring about 33 nests at Burnaby Lake, each of which holds about 13 eggs. The eggs will begin hatching sometime in August.
