Endangered turtle found wandering streets of Metro Vancouver

A turtle wandering the streets of Burnaby on June 23 was handed over to the B.C. SPCA, but a quick inspectionrevealed that the shelled reptile was not a regular pet turtle.

"This amazing animal is a North American wood turtle, endangered species CITESAppendix II," said veterinarian Dr. Adrian Walton.

The wood turtle is facing imminent extinction in Ontario, where the government has put in place strategies to keep the species alive.

Its under threat from habitat loss, from other animals, road mortality and from people illegally collecting them as pets.

Wildlife rescuers suspect that someone got sick of taking care of the turtle and dumpedit in a nearby lake or that it somehow managed to escape.

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It's unique orange patching makes the wooden turtle easy to identify.

"Whoever had this animal had no clue, zero clue on how you take care of a turtle," said Walton, aveterinarian atDewdneyAnimal Hospital in Maple Ridge, B.C.

"The shell is consistent with metabolic bone disease and too much protein," he said, adding the turtle also didn't get enough sunlight.

Walton said it's common for people to get tired of taking care of turtles.

"They are horrible pets.Never, ever, ever, ever give your child a pet turtle. They live for 20, 30, 40 years and they get to be thesize of a dinner plate," he said.

Forced to euthanize

Walton said he is often forced to euthanize many of the turtles that come through their door, because they can't find anyone to take care of a grown turtle.

However, since this turtle is endangered, it is being sent to a wildlife sanctuary in Barrie, Ontario.

As for dumping unwanted reptilesin the lakes, Walton strongly advises against that.

"They're often dumped in waterways, where they freeze to death," said Walton.

"Or if they do survive, they do significant amount of damage to our wildlife. Including eating baby ducklings, destroying the nests of coastal painted turtles, which arean endangered species here," he said.

Walton asks people to think twice before getting a turtle as a pet.

If people do want to get rid of their pets, heencourages them to give them to the BC SPCA instead of dumping them in waterways.

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