WILDER INSTITUTE AND MAGNETAWAN FIRST NATION UNITE TO PROTECT ONTARIO’S AT-RISK TURTLES
August 19, 2025
19 AUGUST 2025 (Calgary, AB) – In the stillness of an August day, along the shores of Magnetawan First Nation in Ontario, a small midland painted turtle hatchling slipped into the wetland for the very first time. Its dark shell traced with flashes of red and yellow catching the sunlight—an unassuming moment that carried an extraordinary weight.
For those gathered, this was more than the release of a turtle. It was a symbol: the start of an expanded effort to protect all eight of Ontario’s native turtle species, each federally and provincially listed as at-risk, and a living example of what’s possible when communities work together for nature.
This hatchling, like others released that day, began life under human care as part of Magnetawan First Nation’s long-running turtle egg incubation program. This summer, the Wilder Institute joined that effort—making it the first program to be added to the Wilder Institute’s Wilder Canada Action Plan this year.
For Magnetawan First Nation, each hatchling release holds deep cultural significance. “Being that we are dealing with the turtle species, it’s appropriate that North America is referred to as Turtle Island,” said Chief Lloyd Noganosh, Magnetawan First Nation. Councilor Pamela Dehaan, Magnetawan First Nation, further reflected, “Every hatchling we release reflects our community’s deep connection to the land and water. Caring for their eggs and returning them to the wild keeps our teachings alive. Partnering with the Wilder Institute strengthens this work for our kids, our culture and the turtles.”
Dr. Gráinne McCabe, Chief Conservation Officer at the Wilder Institute, echoed the sentiment: “Watching these young turtles return to the wild is incredibly moving. They’ve been carefully protected through their most vulnerable stage of life. This is more than a conservation milestone—it’s proof of the power of Indigenous-partnered action in saving species at-risk.”
A Partnership with Purpose
This release is part of a broader conservation effort led by Magnetawan First Nation—one that blends egg incubation, habitat stewardship, and cultural knowledge. Working together, Magnetawan First Nation and the Wilder Institute are developing a long-term strategy to protect freshwater turtles across Eastern Georgian Bay, home to Blanding’s turtles and other native turtle species such as midland painted turtles, snapping turtles, and northern map turtles.
At the heart of this collaboration will be a new Community Conservation Hub on Magnetawan First Nation territory—a place for training, youth employment, and community-led research, as well as a base to strengthen conservation capacity across Robinson Huron Treaty lands through the Guardian Network.
“The Wilder Canada Action Plan is our commitment to advancing conservation through multi-species approaches, inclusive collaboration, and capacity-sharing that empowers communities and strengthens impact across landscapes,” added Dr. McCabe. “By working together with partners like Magnetawan First Nation, we can co-create solutions that conserve both biodiversity and cultural heritage—now and into the future.”
Building a Future, One Hatchling at a Time
The program aims to double annual turtle hatchling releases from 2,500 to 5,000, address threats such as habitat loss and road mortality, and create more opportunities for youth to gain conservation training and employment. It will also expand the Guardian Network, sharing knowledge and resources with other Nations.
As the last turtle disappeared into the calm water, it carried more than the promise of survival. It carried the hopes of a growing partnership, the responsibility of shared stewardship to the land, and a vision of a future where wildlife and people thrive, together.
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Additional information:
- About the Wilder Canada Action Plan – The Wilder Canada Action Plan is the Wilder Institute’s comprehensive, national framework for driving inclusive, multi-species conservation strategies through targeted conservation translocations aimed at restoring Canada’s at-risk species in partnership with communities across the country. Its goal: to protect biodiversity, build conservation capacity, and mobilize people to safeguard Canada’s wildlife and wild places.
For more information contact:
Alison Archambault
Director, Brand & Public Relations
403.232.7766 | 403.919.9482 | mediarelations@wilderinstitute.org
The Wilder Institute is a global authority on wildlife conservation, reintroducing threatened species to the wild and empowering communities to conserve their own natural resources to positively impact both nature and communities. The staff and volunteers of Wilder Institute are passionate about restoring balance to wildlife and human life, together. Using innovative science, our team is working to save threatened and endangered species and return them to the wild, where our planet needs them to be. We proudly own and operate the Archibald Biodiversity Centre, a one-of-a-kind conservation breeding and research facility. Our conservation expertise is in conservation breeding and community conservation, where we collaborate with community members to positively impact both nature and local communities. Learn more at WilderInstitute.org to join us in making the world a wilder place.