Sydenham River Species at Risk Newsletter 2015
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Species at Risk Contest Unscramble these five jumbles - one letter for each dash to form the Wanted names of five Species at Risk. Then arrange the letters inside the boxes to Sydenham River Watershed form the answer to our riddle. Your Eastern helping species at risk April, 2015 First Prize - Binoculars and a Weekend Camping Package Foxsnake Sightings Second Prize - “Skink on the Brink” Eastern Foxsnake (a children’s picture book) and a SCRCA Weekend Camping Package Pantherophis vulpinus The Sydenham River in southwestern Ontario is the only major watershed which lies completely in the Carolinian Life Zone and Endangered and Globally Rare is relatively undisturbed by industrial and urban development. This has made the river a biological treasure. The Sydenham River Third Prize - SCRCA Gift Bag supports an incredible variety of aquatic life, or what we call biodiversity. At least 82 species of fish and 34 species of freshwater What to Look for: mussels have been found here, making it one of the most species-rich watersheds in all of Canada. Several species in the You can send in your answer by e-mail to: • Large snake (approximately 1 metre) Sydenham River are found nowhere else in Canada, and some remain at only a few locations globally. Twenty-four species of fish, [email protected] or by mailing your answers to: • Adults are yellow brown with large brown or St. Clair Region Conservation Authority mussels and reptiles which live in and around the Sydenham River are nationally or provincially Species at Risk. black blotches along sides 205 Mill Pond Cr., Strathroy, ON, N7G 3P9 • Adults have a reddish brown head Be sure to include contact information so we can notify the winners. • Belly has a black checkerboard pattern • Juveniles are grey with reddish brown blotches skglsarrpceie and a bar across their snout from eye to jaw Back to the Wild Did you know? This snake is not venomous • is On a sunny day in June a call came into the St. Clair Approximately 10 weeks later, in late August, we found in marshes, wetlands, beaches, woods, and Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) office regarding received the call. Twenty-four tiny northern map turtles farms • is an avid swimmer • is at risk from habitat rdonhmmnraotte a turtle who had found her way next to a roadway and had hatched and were ready to head home! The turtles loss and human persecution was laying her eggs. This was a small turtle with an olive were taken back to the location they were found along Reward: Control rodent populations coloured shell that has fine yellow lines similar the Sydenham River. The toonie sized to contour lines found on a map. It was hatchlings were released, one by dtegrnooiup Help Please! Enhance wetlands • Create snake a northern map turtle. A week later, one, back into the river, many habitat on your property • Report your sightings • a second northern map turtle was of which quickly swam Appreciate Snakes! found close by also laying her away and hid beneath eggs along the roadway. the vegetation along spmfeeaumeallls If you see this animal contact: St. Clair Region the edge of the river Conservation Authority [email protected] SCRCA staff Kelli Smith - one major obstacle and John Jimmo went out achieved to make their to investigate. While out, way back home. elpsauttgnripn Partners in Conservation it was noted there were The northern map several nests that had turtle is a Special Fisheries and Oceans Canada been constructed along Concern species under Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry this roadway, many of which the federal Species at Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change had been predated, dug up, Risk Act and provincial Hey Nature Nut - don’t keep it to yourself . Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the eggs eaten. The culprit Endangered Species Act and Ontario Trillium Foundation St. Clair Region Conservation Authority was most likely the raccoons that is also a specially protected St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation frequent the area but other possible reptile under the Ontario Fish and Middlesex Stewardship Council predators include foxes and skunks. Only Wildlife Conservation Act. Declining Rural Lambton Stewardship Network two nests remained, so Kelli and John decided that since numbers in the population have led to the designation Draw will be held June 5, 2015 Ducks Unlimited Canada the threat of loss for these nests was so great, it was time of special concern. Some of the causes for the decline Wildlife Habitat Canada Carolinian Canada Coalition to step in and try to do their best to save these nests. include habitat loss or degradation; water pollution; Trees Ontario Normally nests are not moved, especially if a nest is boating and road mortalities; and the decline in Ontario Land Trust Alliance found in a relatively safe location - it will be left alone molluscs, a primary food source for female turtles. TD Friends of the Environment Foundation to let nature take its course. The process was very nerve Reproduction can also be challenging for the northern wracking as the turtle eggs are very delicate and any map turtle. Females don’t reach breeding maturity for disturbance can cause the embryo to detach from the nearly 12 years and only produce 10-17 eggs which For more information egg and die. After consulting with Salthaven Wildlife have a high mortality rate from nest raiding by foxes St. Clair Region Conservation Authority 205 Mill Pond Cr., Strathroy, ON, N7G 3P9 Rehabilitation and Education Centre, the nests were and raccoons. carefully collected and moved for incubation - Salthaven eastern foxsnake 519 245-3710 [email protected] www.scrca.on.ca has a special permit to do this. Aquatic Species at Risk - April 2015 www.sydenhamriver.on.ca St. Clair Region Conservation Authority Interpretive Signs Dot Ask a Pro - How can monitoring Aquatic Species at Risk the Watershed water quality help aquatic Species in the Sydenham River at Risk? As one of the most biologically diverse watersheds in Canada, there are many interesting things to learn Mussels Fish and mussels can be northern riffleshell - Endangered about the Sydenham River. Interpretive signs have used as bio-indicators been installed at several Conservation Areas and wavy-rayed lampmussel - Threatened * of habitat conditions rayed bean - Endangered public lands to inform visitors of the unique and rare and long-term stream snuffbox - Endangered species that inhabit the Sydenham River. The signs health since different mudpuppy mussel - Endangered explore many topics from creating snake habitat to kidneyshell - Endangered identifying aquatic species at risk. Keep an eye out – species exhibit different round hickorynut - Endangered we have more interesting interpretive signs to come. tolerances to pollutant levels and habitat change. round pigtoe - Endangered Sensitive species tend to rainbow mussel - Endangered The St. Clair Region Conservation Authority includes a Species at Risk program as part of its fawnsfoot - Endangered be the first to disappear commitment toward conservation education. Over 11,000 students participate in conservation eastern pondmussel - Endangered from a stream or river education programs each year. Jessica Van Zwol, Healthy Water- mapleleaf mussel - Threatened when it is polluted or shed Specialist, St. Clair Region otherwise impacted. It Conservation Authority Fish follows that these same northern madtom - Endangered ** sensitive species are more likely to eventually June 15, 2014 eastern sand darter - Endangered become “species at risk”. On the other hand, blackstripe topminnow - Special Concern presence of a wide variety of species, including those Moore Wildlife Management Area, St. Clair Twp. Seine net used pugnose minnow - Special Concern sensitive to pollution and habitat change, indicates a • Completing fish survey to determine to collect fish grass pickerel - Special Concern healthier system. watershed health and to identify any spotted gar - Threatened ** changes in fish communities over time spotted sucker - Special Concern • 8 different species of fish found! Eastern Sand Darter: This darter is a unique • Vegetation on stream banks provide excellent shade for fish Reptiles and small member of the perch family. In the • Mosquitoes and frogs abundant! eastern foxsnake - Endangered Sydenham, they prefer areas with a sandy bottom. eastern spiny softshell turtle - Threatened The biggest threat to this species is silt or clay Blanding’s turtle - Threatened being washed into and covering its sandy habitat. snapping turtle - Special Concern Healthy Sydenham The presence of the eastern sand darter suggests northern map turtle - Special Concern Headwaters Initiative little to no impact from siltation or pollution for Endangered: A species facing imminent Thanks to landowners, the Healthy Sydenham that part of the river. extirpation or extinction. Headwaters Initiative has been a resounding success! Credit: Joseph Tomelleri Threatened: A species that is likely to In the past 3 years, 50 hectares of land have been become endangered if limiting factors are retired and returned to natural landscape. Nearly not reversed. 50 landowners implemented stewardship projects What can landowners do to help improve Special Concern: A species is of special on their properties including riparian buffers, tree water quality and help protect aquatic concern because of characteristics that make planting, wetlands, wildlife movement corridors, it particularly sensitive to human activities or windbreaks, and