UPDATE: Think Turtle’s Kelly Wallace says their fundraising goal has been reached and they can go ahead with having the signs made.
The Think Turtle Conservation Initiative may be based in Bancroft but it is committed to helping turtles around the province, including Belleville.
Think Turtle’s founder and managing director Kelly Wallace says they’ve been assisting the Belleville community since 2020.
Belleville’s turtle population faces unique circumstances. Because the Moira River runs through the area, Belleville experiences turtle activity on main streets, business premises, parking lots, and other areas one would not expect to see turtles.
Adult turtles, juveniles, and hatchlings navigating the bustling parking lots during the busier times of the year, spring to autumn, are at risk of unforeseen mishaps.
In 2021, the organization got permission from the city to install “Turtle Alert” signs in these areas.
The Turtle Alert signs have proven effective over the last few years as visual cues that helping prompt people to check under their vehicles for turtles before starting their vehicle and to stay alert when driving in parking lots during turtle season, April to October.
Wallace says unfortunately, the number of signs have dwindled due to theft and damage.
Think Turtle has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase 50 more signs.
The signs would be installed in parking lots in the Belleville business district and throughout the waterfront trails, where there is an extensive network of parking lots known to be frequented by turtles each year.
The signs will be removed at the end of October, stored, and reinstalled at the beginning of April.
It’s hoped the signs can be purchased as soon as possible with turtles beginning to move and the nesting season commencing in just a few weeks.
Contribute to the fundraiser via GoFundMe or by sending an e-transfer to Think Turtle Conservation Initiative at thinkturtle@yahoo.com.
