Species at Risk What's so special about Nova Scotia's Blanding's
turtles? In Nova Scotia, the Blanding's turtle is one of our
"southern relics" because the population is small, isolated and
at the northeastern edge of its range. This reptile, and other
southern relics such as water-pennywort, northern ribbon snake
and southern flying squirrel, moved north during a warm period
near the end of the last ice age. As the climate changed to what
it is today, only the southwestern part of the province remained
warm enough for these species to survive. Hatchling turtles
around a nest cavity © Parks Canada / Peter Hope / 1991
Blanding's turtles can live to be more than 80 years. In Nova
Scotia , these long-lived turtles do not reach sexual maturity
until they are 18 to 24 years. They are the latest to mature
within the species range. Other populations, living as close as
Maine or southern Ontario and Quebec, mature as early as 14 to
20 years. Blanding's turtles in Nova Scotia are genetically
distinguishable from other