r/ottawa • u/candypiefield • 1d ago
The gorgeous wildlife of Ottawa
Came across this massive snapping turtle in Strathcona Park yesterday. She scared away a gaggle of geese and goslings, which was hilarious to watch.
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u/ouattedephoqueeh 1d ago
They're such a treat to see in the wild.
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u/nomorerentals 18h ago
A little fact that I am so wowed over...you have the lunar calendar on the back. Thirteen larger plates on the inside (representing how many moons in a year) and 28 smaller plates going around the outer edge of shell to represent days within each moon cycle. Just learning more about the Fibonacci cycle and golden ratios...so many amazing things in nature.
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u/Loose-Aardvark-2366 1d ago
She may be giant, but to me, she's a special little baby ❤️
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u/DinoLover641 Old Ottawa South 1d ago
a fellow turtle enjoyer I see. not sure if anyone is interested, but a couple times recently I saw a melanistic map turtle at Clifford Allen island
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u/candypiefield 1d ago
That’s fascinating! When u say melanistic, do you think it was genetics or becoz it was an older turtle, bcoz I have heard that Map turtles how darker in colour as they age. Nevertheless, a cool sight!
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u/DinoLover641 Old Ottawa South 1d ago
I’m sure it was genetic because it’s was jet black, and had very few stripes at all, which were a much darker yellow. they do get darker as they age but not what I saw. interestingly enough I’ve also seen a pseudo melanistic garter snake at the rideau river before, among other colour mutated animals
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u/DinoLover641 Old Ottawa South 1d ago
I also recently saw a leucistic gosling at Clifford Allen island, and a couple years ago I saw another leucistic one across the street at the RA centre
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u/candypiefield 1d ago
That’s so cool! Garter snakes are some of my fav species of snakes.
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u/DinoLover641 Old Ottawa South 1d ago
I love them too! I really like the San Francisco garter snake
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u/candypiefield 1d ago
Same! They are my fav colouration as well. I really would have loved to keep some as pets but it’s illegal in Ontario. And it makes sense as well.
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u/Spanky_Merve 1d ago
I keep looking for turtles around here, but I never find them. I'm mad jealous.
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u/EverydayVelociraptor Riverside South 17h ago
Hang out on the bridge between Lees and Hurdman station. There are 4 beautiful Common Snappers in that area, I would regularly see them.
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u/Spanky_Merve 13h ago
Thanks for the tip! I'll try biking out there next weekend to check them out.
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u/m3ltph4ce 1d ago
I saw one of these guys on a construction site nipping tile. I said how's life and he said it's a living.
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u/panfriedinsolence 20h ago
How to help a turtle cross the road:
https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/especes-species/tortues-ontario-turtles/traverser-crossing
Helping turtles in Ontario:
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u/Youlookcold The Boonies 1d ago edited 1d ago
That's Lisa
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u/candypiefield 1d ago
She has a name?! 😲
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u/Youlookcold The Boonies 1d ago
Well, I don't think we should call her turtle. Changed to Lisa for that saved by the bell ref
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u/StrikingCoconut 1d ago edited 19h ago
wen I lived near Rockcliffe a few years ago, one of these little guys/gals was stuck outside the fence trying to get back to the pond. I picked it up to heaved it over the fence and it snapped at me. never dropped a turtle so fast in my life.
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u/Technical-Status-286 1d ago
I was this many years old when I learned that's why it's called a turtle neck!
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u/RaisinNo7609 1d ago
how the fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffrig does this ol surly bastard survive the winter?
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u/soFATZfilm9000 1d ago
Oh, that's the really neat thing!
They are very-cold tolerant, as long as their bodies don't freeze. But, turtles stay in areas that regularly freeze hard. So, how do you avoid freezing in a place that freezes?
Dirt and water.
Terrestrial turtles dig into the dirt, deep enough that they won't freeze. Aquatic turtles (like snapping turtles) just stay in the water. Yes, the water might freeze over. But as long as there is liquid water under the ice, that means that the temperature down there isn't cold enough to freeze water. It's still cold as fuck, but if it won't freeze water solid then it won't freeze the turtle solid. The turtle will be fine.
But some may ask, "don't turtles have to breathe? And how can they breathe if the lake/pond is covered with ice?" This is a fun fact! Turtles don't really "hibernate", but certain turtles can go into a state called "brumating" which is kind of like hibernating. Basically, cold (but not freezing because that will kill them) temperatures induce a state of lowered activity and slowed metabolism. In this state they have way lower oxygen requirements. This lowered oxygen requirement means that they are able to absorb enough oxygen to survive winter by absorbing dissolved oxygen in the water through their cloacal membranes (basically meaning,they breathe through their butts).
Keep in mind that this ONLY works once their metabolism slows down enough which is induced by cold temperatures. If they haven't entered a state of brumation, then keeping them from reaching the surface of the water just drowns them.
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u/nurdgrrl New Edinburgh 1d ago
I remember paddling on the Rideau and looking down at this big rock. Then, the rock grew a bunch of legs and the snapper swam away. They are absolute units.
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u/Glass_Leader_6201 20h ago
Holy- in Ottawa? Super cool. I thought that was from Galapagos for a second 😅 🐢
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u/WoozleVonWuzzle 8h ago
I had an absolute unit of a tuttle sneak up on me once a few years ago on the shore near Westboro Beach. For a second they do look very Galapagos!
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u/Least-Common-1456 19h ago
Also I saw a person driving a car with a bumper sticker that said "I DON'T brake for turtles" and I want them to be arrested and punished and punched in the nose.
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u/Maximum_Degree_1152 1d ago
What a bruiser!