Support Turtle Protection

Why Turtles?

Turtles are Wildlife Heroes

They were here before the dinosaurs, and survived 5 mass extinctions. 70% of fish and wildlife across Eastern North America depend on wetlands for survival, and turtles are the best custodians of these habitats. Now, due to roads and development, they are being lost faster than they can be replaced. Today 75% of the world's turtles are in jeopardy of becoming extinct; all of Canada's are listed as "At Risk" and almost half of all turtles in the U.S.A.

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How We're Helping?

Turtle Guardians are Frontliners

We are empowering kids and communities and innovating solutions

Prevention is Powerful! Turtle Guardians volunteers patrol roads, monitor nests and wetlands, help conduct research, incubate eggs, and install infrastructure.

Learn More

Did You Find a Turtle?

Text Our Turtle Hotline

Basking, nesting, injured, hatchlings, or simply questions? Check out our links to help you help turtles stay safe, wild and free!

705-854-2888

Open from 7am to 11pm EST each day

Report a Sighting Here

The Latest

What's Trending at Turtle Guardians?

This Gift Keeps Giving

The TG calendar is our annual fundraiser is here! Hand made scenes crafted by staff and volunteers and featuring our crew of Teaching Turtles in residence.

This custom calendar supports our incubation program and road rescue programs.

A perfect keepsake or gift for a turtle lover you know!

Coming Soon! How We Are Inspiring Skills

Do you love wildlife? Do you want to learn about and help turtles?

We will provide you with training, tools and support to become a TG Youth Leader in your community.

Stay tuned for programming starting spring 2026.

Why Turtles Need Your Help Now

Low water conditions mean that overwintering turtles can be in trouble! Do you know of any turtles that are brumating near you? Help us monitor turtles this winter, but reporting sightings or lending a hand.

Stop in to See The Crew This Winter

Come visit the new home of Levi, Jeremiah, Nimkii, Timothy and the rest of the gang. Meet the turtles and learn about turtle biology and behaviour in an interactive tour. We are open two days a week from Sept 26th to Christmas!

Are You Grooving In Your Zone?

Now you can lead turtle conservation efforts in your neighbourhood, with support and resources!

Coordinators are registered volunteers that supervise hubs of activity with guidance, training and support.

How Your Support Shapes the Future

Our Advancements in Conservation

We have empowered thousands of kids and community members to save turtles-moving mitigation across Nations!

We have pioneering designs to ensure safe passage for turtles across roads that are durable and  inexpensive.

With your help we have the longest running road-based dataset in North America- so we can prioritize efforts, and answer questions about the impacts of roads and surrounding development to turtles.

Being in the field means we are also able to spot interesting trends and observations- which help us design and collaborate on research to advance turtle recovery.

And we have become a foremost  incubation agency in Canada.

Find out more

Are You Interested in More Turtle News?

Keep in Touch

Or sign-up to receive our newsletter, Snapshots:

Visit us in person

Turtle Guardians headquarters is located at 235 Highland St. Lower, Haliburton.

We also offer off-site workshops and events!

Book a Tour or Other On-site Event

The Saving Grace Story

Grace, the one-eyed, and oldest recorded female snapping turtle in Ontario’s Highlands was found- deceased in July 2023. Her story began as a celebrated and recognized icon in the small village of Haliburton. The difficulty ensued in January 2022 when her hibernation site, an Environmentally Protected wetland was filled, in part due to a lack of local protections. Of all parts of a turtle's territory, it is the hibernation sites that they are most loyal to because of their unique features allowing for safe overwintering. The story culminated in Grace's remains being found but not where one would expect. Her bones were in an entirely different watershed, in a place and a time where Grace would not have ventured of her own volition. And after worldwide concern and over 125,000 signatures, the municipality and province are fumbling... Read more...