Globally, reptiles are one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates with 77% of Canadian reptile species currently in decline. Five reptile species in Nova Scotia are at risk and face a range of threats, yet they are generally understudied or cryptic, making gathering accurate information difficult. In 2020, Coastal Action began working with at-risk reptiles. The goal, to increase local population data for snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Eastern ribbonsnakes (Thamnophis saurita), while educating and engaging citizens, and facilitating stewardship and restoration activities. 

Through generous funding, established methodologies, and proper wildlife and ethics permitting, Coastal Action continues to engage with the public to monitor these two at-risk reptiles to this day. This year (2024) we’ve hit a milestone, successfully doubling our monitored population of common snapping turtles within our study area. This helps us gather a more in-depth understanding of this species and helps us better mitigate the threats they face.

Noah Hardy
Species at Risk & Biodiversity Project Coordinator
Coastal Action
Email: [email protected]