Cambridge baseball diamond closed to protect snapping turtles

A baseball diamond in Cambridge has been temporarily closed due to a nesting turtle. CTV’s Ashley Bacon takes a look.

The crack of the bat has fallen silent at a baseball diamond in Cambridge as the city takes steps to protect the next generation of snapping turtles.

The city announced a temporary closure of the diamond at Riverside Park thanks to the unexpected guests.

“City staff, through their regular maintenance of this ball field, did identify a turtle was attempting to create it’s nest here,” Alana Russell, the city’s director of communications, told CTV News Tuesday. “They did choose to protect the nest and close the ball diamond.”

The city has rescheduled all events that were supposed to take place at the ball diamond for the time being. They had considered relocation, but that didn’t pan out.

“City staff had investigated the option of an incubation site, but unfortunately there was no space available with our partner agencies,” Russell said. “We have cordoned off the space and we do ask that the public be mindful of that and not disturb this process.”

According to Sue Carstairs, a veterinarian at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, snapping turtles are one of eight species of freshwater turtles found in Ontario. She said all of them are considered to be ‘at risk.’

The reptile’s breeding season typically runs from April until November, with peak egg-laying happening in June and July.

Experts believe climate changes may be affecting the turtle’s internal clock.

“This summer is extremely hot,” Smera Sukumar, conservation science and stewardship director at Ontario Nature, said. “The weather keeps yo-yoing, so we’re seeing changes and fluctuations in that time period, but generally, from May to July is typical.”

Snapping turtles can live to well over 100 years, and it can take 20 years before they reach full maturity and can reproduce.

“Given the low rate of turtles that actually reach sexual maturity, protecting these nests is really important,” Sukumar said.

The city believes the ball diamond will remain closed for six to eight weeks.