2026
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Canada (ARCC) works to promote the conservation of Canada’s species at risk through research, direct conservation action, education, and threat mitigation. ARCC supports a variety of projects across the country, partnering with grassroots groups, research projects, non-profits, and academic institutions to strengthen and expand reptile and amphibian conservation across Canada. Two of ARCC’s longest-running projects, the START (Saving Turtles At Risk Today) and CARES (Conservation, Action, Research, and Education on Snakes) Projects, include ex-situ conservation components, where animals are removed from the wild and kept in captivity for a length of time, depending on the goals of this work.
The START Project aims to mitigate threats to turtle populations across Ontario. Across central Ontario, Muskoka, York Region and the GTA, the START Project conducts field surveys to fill knowledge gaps, outreach to decrease species stigma and nesting surveys to help females safely cross roads and protect their nests. In these areas, START also incubates eggs retrieved from at-risk turtle nests. This large-scale incubation project has released over 100,000 hatchlings since 2014. However, in areas south of the Canadian Shield where Blanding’s Turtle populations are particularly precarious, simply incubating hatchlings is not enough to ensure survival. The Headstarting program provides an additional layer of support to these critical populations by raising them for two years in captivity before releasing them back into the wild. The additional age, size, and weight of the turtles upon release decreases predation rates and encourages survival into adulthood.
The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake is one of the priority species for the CARES Project. In addition to supporting species recovery through field surveys, outreach and education programs, and research, ARCC supports the work conducted in partnership with the Toronto Zoo under both the SSP (Species Survival Plan) and SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) programs for this species. The SSP and SAFE programs, initiatives of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, are ex-situ conservation breeding programs aimed at breeding adult Massasaugas collected from the wild and reintroducing them to specific targeted, high-priority areas. As part of the SAFE Program, a number of adult snakes are cared for at institutions across the Great Lakes Region to secure a safe, genetically diverse, and healthy breeding population. ARCC is an active partner in these endeavors.
Both the Blanding’s Turtle Headstarting Program and the Eastern Massasauga SAFE Program are overseen by ARCC. The animals are housed at the Research and Conservation Building on Scales Nature Park property, an award-winning conservation and education non-profit nature centre. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Canada and Scales Nature Park both support the care of these ex-situ populations, along with support for the programs from a number of other partners. Ex-situ conservation work requires the long-term care and support of the animals in care. As such, ongoing and diverse funding support is required to allow these programs to continue sustainably, effectively, and collaboratively.
Project benefits:
Headstarting Blanding’s Turtles provides at-risk populations with ongoing support, encouraging adult survival. Due to Blanding’s Turtles’ long lifespan and slow growth, it can take decades (25+ years) for turtles to become reproducing adults. Hatchlings are particularly vulnerable to predation and other causes of mortality mainly due to their size. Since these headstarted turtles are kept in captivity for approximately 2 years under this project, these individuals outgrow the size many predators target.
This project currently houses 319 headstart turtles, all scheduled to be released in 2026 and 2027. In addition to nests collected by START Project staff and volunteers, the START Project also supports the headstarting of nests found or reported by other organizations. Because smaller organizations typically do not have the resources and facilities required to raise and release headstarts, ARCC supports these grassroots organizations by excavating nests, incubating eggs, and raising headstarts. Currently, ARCC cares for a number of hatchlings from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, as well as from Brampton and Toronto, where grassroots volunteer organizations sought support for Blanding’s Turtle nests found in urban locations. This not only expands the conservation impact of the project by including turtles in other geographic areas but also supports these volunteer groups in building their capacity.
The Eastern Massasauga SAFE Program directly supports the reintroduction of snakes to the Ojibway Prairie complex, a grassland habitat in Southwestern Ontario with a recently extirpated population of Massasauga Rattlesnakes. Due to the Prairie’s unique ecology and location in a highly developed area of Ontario, it has been identified as a high priority for the protection and restoration of local biodiversity. The reintroduction of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes not only has a direct conservation benefit for the local grassland ecosystem but has also proved to be a very valuable opportunity for research and innovation in the field of conservation technology, which will grow Ontario’s capacity to leverage translocation, reintroduction, and conservation breeding methods to better respond to future needs as well.
In addition to the direct conservation benefits of these two ex-situ programs, this project will also conduct public outreach and education events aimed at increasing awareness and appreciation of species at risk reptiles in Ontario. These programs will focus on areas with critical populations of Blanding’s Turtles, Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes, and other species at risk, while improving access to these engaging educational programs for communities who may not be able to afford program fees, but whose support for species at risk is critical for their continued existence.
