‘It is really sad’: Western painted turtles saved from what’s left of B.C. lake

Western painted turtles are now in the care of the society after being taken from Frazer Lake in the Upper Mission neighbourhood of  Kelowna, B.C.

Slow and steady won’t win this race; it’s the fast action from the team behind Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society that has saved 39 turtles.

The Western painted turtles are now in the care of the society after being taken from Frazer Lake in the Upper Mission neighbourhood of  Kelowna, B.C.

“The turtles were healthy and all different ages, so we have some in from very small juveniles to sub-adults to large turtles that are fully grown,” said Eva Hartmann, Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society executive director and co-founder.

The turtles were rescued because their home, Frazer Lake, is drying up.

“Every wetland that we can support, I think it’s definitely worth supporting in order to keep what is left, because over 90 per cent of all the wetlands in the province are gone since the 1800s,” said Hartmann.

While the turtles wait to be rehomed, Kayleigh Postowski is trying to save the lake she has grown up visiting.

“I would come out here every day in the summer, we would watch the turtles and set them free; so many memories were made here,” said Postowski.

A petition to restore the lake that has garnered more than 400 signatures.