Supporting Endangered Turtle Research during Pandemic (media release, November 18, 2020)

Nov 18, 2020 – The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is pleased to announce that more than 4,000 endangered Spiny Softshell turtle hatchlings were released this year by the UTRCA Turtle Team! The hatchlings emerged from eggs that had been collected from sites along the Thames River and incubated at the UTRCA Watershed Conservation Centre (WCC).

Thanks to the dedication of staff, volunteers, and sponsors such as Dispenser Amenities, 2020 was one of the top three years on record for hatchlings released by the Turtle Team, which is led by Scott Gillingwater, Species at Risk Biologist.

After several years working with the UTRCA, Dispenser Amenities, a London-based local business, continues to support endangered species research in the Thames watershed even through the global pandemic. Dispenser Amenities works in the hotel and tourism industry, a sector hit hard by the global pandemic, providing environmentally friendly soap and shampoo alternatives. Thank you, Dispenser Amenities, for your continuing support!

Ian Wallace, the CEO of Dispenser Amenities, said, “We see the work that Scott and his team are doing as vitally important to the survival of Spiny Softshell Turtles in the Thames River ecosystem. Through the ingenuity and hard work of Scott’s team, this species has been given not only a chance of survival but also, hopefully, a chance to thrive. We are proud to support this critically important initiative.”

In addition to providing funding, CEO Ian Wallace and the staff at the company’s London office all participated in the team’s species at risk activities, including visiting the WCC lab to measure and weigh hatchling turtles, and helping to release these animals back where their eggs had originally been found.

“Dispenser Amenities is the type of small business that cares about the environment, their community, and their staff,” said Scott Gillingwater. “We are so proud and honoured to partner with a business that shows the conservation ethic that we hope other businesses will emulate. Thank you, Ian Wallace, Heather Mannes, and all of the staff at Dispenser Amenities!”

Due to COVID-19, fewer UTRCA staff and volunteers were available to collect, protect, and incubate eggs, and then release the hatchlings back to the river. Thanks go to Scott Gillingwater, Kaela Orton, Bryce Orton, Elliott Lebert, and Will Lyons for their hard work!

Besides the challenges of working through the pandemic, 2020 saw a risk to turtle eggs from the weather, with extreme heat in July followed by flooding later in the summer. Other threats such as predators, poachers, and nests being crushed by human recreational activities continued as well.

Other Funders: Federal Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, Provincial Species At Risk Stewardship Program, The Schad Foundation, City of London, Karen and Eric Auzins, Ruth and Mike John, various other private donations.

Thanks, Scott, for sharing these amazing photos!

You can help support the Turtle Team!

Contact: Scott Gillingwater, Species at Risk Biologist