Wildlife Preservation Canada

Summer's over 👎️ and you might be left wondering... where are they now? ⁠ ⁠ For the western painted turtle, and many other species of turtles, their brumation journey has just begun!⁠ ⁠ Like many "cold-blooded' reptiles, some species of Canadian freshwater turtles begin the fall by finding somewhere to relax for the winter, as food sources become scarce and temperatures drop. Undergoing a process similar to hibernation, brumation is when turtles become less active and reduce their metabolism.⁠ ⁠ The western painted turtle, a species we work with here at WPC, will find a shallow body of water and head to the bottom for the winter. These turtles breathe through their skin, but mainly use the inside of their mouth and their cloaca (turtles are butt breathers!) to survive underwater.⁠ ⁠ For the turtles kept in our care (like Tutu), we start this process by providing them clean soil in tubs, where they bury themselves. We then place those tubs in a special fridge so they can begin their winter's nap 💚⁠ ⁠ More about WPC's Fraser Valley Wetlands Program - western painted turtle:⁠ In the wetlands of B.C.’s Fraser Valley, western painted turtles face many challenges, especially as eggs and tiny hatchlings. With no shortage of hungry predators and no care from their parents once they’ve hatched, only a few young turtles survive to become adults. When you add human activity to the mix, the rate of survival can be so low that a population becomes unsustainable. Since 2012, we’ve been working to improve those odds. In addition to protecting nests, we collect eggs from vulnerable turtle nests, artificially incubate them and head-start new hatchlings before releasing them back into the wild.⁠

Have you voted for your favourite staff photo yet? Only a couple of more days to have your say!! ICYMI: we wanted to do something extra fun this year, so we challenged our biologists to a staff photo contest! The best part is, you get to participate. Showcasing some of our biologist's best shots, we've narrowed down 100 photo entries to just 10 and now we need your help to pick the winner. Who will take the crown!? You decide. Vote now: https://lnkd.in/giyUHEkw You have until this Thursday, October 31!

Three years of hard work: complete ✔️ If you've been following us, you know how much we love the eastern loggerhead shrike—and we’ve been working tirelessly to keep it soaring across the landscape. But saving a species is no solo act—it’s a carefully crafted collaboration. For the past three years, WPC biologists have been involved in a collaborative conservation planning process, guided by partners at the IUCN Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), to create something big: the first international conservation strategy for this remarkable shrike! 🎉A huge congrats to everyone involved—this plan is a game changer for the recovery of a migratory bird that crosses borders and inspires us all. Want to check it out? The strategy is now live on our website. Let’s keep pushing for a brighter future for the shrike 💚 https://lnkd.in/g9tmCqt7 📸B. Matsubara⁠

What's an Alvar? What happens in a nest check? 🤔 If these are questions you've been asking yourself - look no further! Step into the world of shrike conservation in this behind the scenes video from Helmi Hess, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike Biologist here at WPC. Watch as she takes you into the field to get a look at the unique landscape these shrikes need to thrive, experience the excitement of a nest check, and get an up-close view of our outdoor release enclosures. Discover what it takes to help bring this species back from the brink: https://lnkd.in/ge8acCXH More about WPC's eastern loggerhead shrike program: After a precipitous drop in the wild eastern loggerhead shrike population in the 1990s, Environment Canada invited Wildlife Preservation Canada to lead the multi-partner recovery effort in 2003. Since then, the wild population size has fluctuated. Studies have shown that although the recovery effort has prevented the species from disappearing from Canada, more work is required to identify and address the causes of the species’ decline. WPC works to prevent the eastern loggerhead shrike from disappearing by building the wild population in Ontario, and studying the species to learn more about the threats they face.

Summer's over 👎️ and you might be left wondering... where are they now? ⁠ ⁠ For the eastern loggerhead shrike, their migration journey just began!⁠ ⁠ As these endangered birds begin their migration south, we will start collecting important data on their migration routes into the United States. As of yet, we don't have much data on their whereabouts once they cross the border... some birds may overwinter in the southeastern states and some may integrate with the non-migratory populations.⁠ ⁠ In the meantime, our staff is busy analyzing all of the data from our successful summer, and are keeping an eye out for any motus (wildlife tracking system) data coming from the migrating birds as they pass motus towers.⁠ ⁠ Stay tuned as we share hits from the motus network in the coming months💚⁠ ⁠ More about WPC's eastern loggerhead shrike program: ⁠ After a precipitous drop in the wild eastern loggerhead shrike population in the 1990s, Environment Canada invited Wildlife Preservation Canada to lead the multi-partner recovery effort in 2003. Since then, the wild population size has fluctuated. Studies have shown that although the recovery effort has prevented the species from disappearing from Canada, more work is required to identify and address the causes of the species’ decline. WPC works to prevent the eastern loggerhead shrike from disappearing by building the wild population in Ontario, and studying the species to learn more about the threats they face.⁠

This year, we wanted to do something extra special—and we’re inviting you to join in on the fun! 🎉⁠ ⁠ We hosted a staff photo contest to showcase some of our biologists most amazing shots, and now we need your help to pick the winner. Not only does this get our team involved in a little friendly competition, but it also gives you a chance to check out behind-the-scenes moments you might not normally get to see. 📸🌿⁠ ⁠ Out of 100 incredible submissions, we’ve managed to narrow it down to the top 10 staff photos of 2024 (and trust us, it wasn’t easy!).⁠ ⁠ Now it’s up to you... who will take the crown? 🏆🤔⁠ ⁠ Cast your vote at https://lnkd.in/giyUHEkw You have until October 31, so don’t miss your chance to pick a winner!⁠

Happy World Reptile Day! What better way to celebrate today than by slithering into our latest blog from Rachel Fallas, our Reptile and Amphibian Program Biologist? This past August, Rachel and a few of our staff members had the opportunity to attend the 10th World Congress of Herpetology in Borneo - a special opportunity to learn from the best in the world 💚⁠ ⁠ In this blog, you'll her about her nighttime herping adventures, an orangutan sighting, and get to see all of her beautiful photos of reptiles, amphibians, and even mammals during her visit. ⁠ 🔗https://lnkd.in/giAPUEk2 📸Rachel Fallas More about WPC's Reptile and Amphibian Initiative: No other class of wildlife in Canada faces greater risk of extinction than reptile and amphibians. According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), more than 40 amphibian and reptile species are currently threatened or endangered. More than a third of these species need some form of hands-on intervention to survive. Our national reptile and amphibian program develops and promotes best practices for four key conservation techniques: translocation, headstarting, conservation breeding and in-situ interventions. We will maximize the impact of groups across the continent that are working to protect these highly threatened species.

WWF's Living Planet Report is out, and it's a wake up call.⁠ ⁠ Populations of wild animals are declining. ⁠ ⁠ Looking at over 5,000 vertebrate species, we see that between 1970 and 2020, population sizes have decreased by 73%. But with conservation efforts, like the work we're doing here at WPC, we hold hope 💚⁠ ⁠ By protecting endangered species we're working to build a future where wildlife THRIVES once again. And it's not too late to make a difference. ⁠ ⁠ Worried about this report? New to the conservation community? Start here.⁠ ⁠ Sign up for our monthly newsletter to hear from our biologists, receive updates on the species we work with, and best of all - learn what you can do to help.⁠ ⁠ 🔗https://lnkd.in/eGK6X5VC ⁠ 📸Ray Maichin Photography⁠ https://lnkd.in/gmbdKER

The wait is over! 📽️ Butterflies on the Brink: The Story of the Mottled Duskywing, premieres tomorrow. 📍Where? Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo, Ontario 🗓️When? TOMORROW (October 19) 🕟️Time? 4:45 PM This inspiring documentary follows three years of hard work reintroducing the endangered mottled duskywing butterfly to Pinery Provincial Park. The first successful butterfly reintroduction of its kind in Southern Ontario. You'll get to know the research and recovery team, which includes biologist Jessica Linton, Wildlife Preservation Canada, University of Guelph Professor Dr. Ryan Norris and his team, and the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, in this amazing film. ⁠ A captivating tale of triumphs, setbacks, and the unwavering dedication of a group of individuals determined to secure the future of this enchanting butterfly - it's a MUST SEE.⁠ 🍿If you can't make tomorrow - don't fret! A second screening is available next Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 7:00pm.⁠ Get your tickets now!

Want to become a bumble bee expert? Start using Bumble Bee Watch today. Cole Blair, Ontario Program Coordinator for our Native Pollinator Initiative, recently recorded a walkthrough on how to use this amazing tool. He takes you through the step by step process of uploading a bumble bee sighting to the site and explains away any questions you may have had. Bumble Bee Watch is a collaborative effort to track and conserve North America’s bumble bees. It not only allows for participants to upload photos of bumble bees, have those bees identified, and supply this sighting info to researchers and biologists – but it allows participants to learn about these bees, and connect with other citizen scientists. Watch Cole's How To Video now 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g92T_b2b More about WPC's bumble bee program: Since the 1990s, bumble bee numbers have been plummeting, and that spells ecological disaster. Ninety per cent of all flowering plants — including most of the fruits and vegetables in your fridge — need these pollinators in order to reproduce. Until the causes of these declines can be reversed, conservation breeding and reintroduction is the only way to safeguard at-risk bumble bees. Today, WPC is the only organization in Canada rebuilding wild bee populations through conservation breeding. Thanks to recent breakthroughs, we’ve figured out how to dramatically increase the number of queens we produce. Once they’re released into the wild, they can establish their own colonies, producing hundreds of pollinators to sustain the ecosystems around them.