The Southern Ontario At Risk Reptiles Program is in need of community donations this year due to potential issues with government funding.
UTRCA - The Southern Ontario At Risk Reptile program is in need of community funding.
The program also known as SOARR started back in 1994. Scott Gillingwater, the Species at Risk Biologist with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, has been involved since day one.
"We started initially to look at declining populations of the spiny softshell turtle along the Thames River. However, since that time we have developed it into a far ranging and larger encompassing project to include a number of at risk reptiles here in Southern Ontario."
The list of at risk reptiles includes snapping turtles, spotted turtles, blanding's turtles, northern map turtles, the queen snake and the eastern hognose snake.
Almost 30-years after the program's first inception, the UTRCA is now seeing an uptick in the spiny softshell turtle population. Gillingwater says the program can do more with community donations.
"In switching from community based funding away from some of the government funding, if it is not available, allows us to plan for the future. It allows us to do the work that needs to be done instead of the work that is only prioritized by the governments at the time."
You can learn more about the program and donate online here.
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