Installing turtle nest protectors

When installed properly, nest protector boxes protect fragile turtle eggs from hyperabundant predators such as raccoons and skunks.

Follow the step-by-step instructions below if you want to protect a turtle nest that:

• Is within the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
• Is on your property, OR
• Is on the shoulder of a road other than the highway, and a nest protector box would not interfere with vehicles

Contact R2R@pc.gc.ca if:

• You have come across a nest within the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
• You have come across a nest that is in a location that may pose a risk to people or turtle hatchlings, such as a nest that is:
• On a road or a driveway (where a car could hit the box, or a box would interfere with road maintenance machinery)
• Surrounded by foot traffic, such as in the middle of a trail
• In a construction area
• On the Highway 6 shoulder
• There are hazards that may inhibit your ability to safely install a nest protector
• You have any questions about turtle nest protection on the northern Bruce Peninsula

We are not able to provide resources beyond the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula. If you are outside of this region, visit the Ontario Conservation Network to find an organisation near you.

A Step-by-step Guide to Protecting Turtle Nests:

Gather the required equipment, listed below. Visit the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre's how to build a nest protector page to learn how to make a nest box or borrow nest boxes from Bruce Peninsula National Park.
During nesting season in the spring, the following equipment can be borrowed from Bruce Peninsula National Park by contacting R2R@pc.gc.ca.
• Nest protector boxes. A larger nest box must be used for a snapping turtle nest. A smaller nest box can be used for painted turtle nests
• Stakes, 2 to 4 per nest box
• Safety flags
• High-visibility vest
The following resources are not provided:
• A pencil
• A mallet or hammer
If the nest is near a road, wear a high-visibility vest and watch for vehicles. Always put your safety first!
Install the nest protector once the turtle has left. Centre the protector over the nest and ensure the exit hole faces the safest route for hatchlings (towards the closest wetland, away from the road).

Turtles dig “test pits” to find the perfect nest location. If a turtle has left an uncovered hole in the soil, eggs have not been laid, so there is no nest to protect. Do NOT dig a suspected nest to check for eggs, as this is illegal to do without a permit.

Hammer stakes in the holes to secure the protector. Make sure the stakes do not hit the nest. 
Ensure the nest protector does not block natural sun or rain. Do not cover. Ensure there are no gaps between the bottom of the protector and substrate, except at the exit hole, which should be clear of debris to allow hatchlings to emerge from.
Install a safety flag beside your nest protector. Ensure the box has reflective tape on the outside for visibility to drivers at night.
Fill in the fields on a nest tag. Secure the nest tag to the nest box with a zip tie.

Leave the nest protector box in place until late October. Most nests hatch late August to early October. However, painted turtles may stay in their nests over the winter, so, unless the nest box could be in the way of snowplows, leave it in place until May if they do not emerge in the fall.

Scattered shells are a sign of a nest that has been predated. A nest that had hatched successfully will have a small exit burrow. Some nests may not hatch.

If a nest near Bruce Peninsula National Park is vulnerable and a nest protector box cannot be installed (e.g., too close to road, in a driveway) the eggs may need to be excavated and incubated. Under these circumstances, please email R2R@pc.gc.ca for a nest evaluation.