OTTAWA CITIZEN (Ohntario) 07 September 06 Remorse spurs 19-year-old to recount tale of killing rare turtle (Susan Mohammad and Alexandra Zabjek)
While turtles may carry the weight of their homes on their backs, a Crysler teen is carrying the weight of his guilt for killing one.
Leo Gibeault, 19, admitted to purposely squashing a rare map turtle by backing over it with his car, while being egged on by a group of friends in June. But with time to reflect on his deed, he now says that even the $100 fine he's been ordered to pay, and the lecture to elementary school children he has to prepare, is a light sentence, considering what he did.
"What you do bad in life you make lessons from them and you do better," said Mr. Gibeault, a self-described animal lover who owns a husky, a rottweiler and a few fish.
"I'm disappointed in myself for doing this. I want to go back in time and give the rare turtle to conservation."
The fine and community service came after Mr. Gibeault pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a northern map turtle, an offence under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
The case was heard in the Ontario Court of Justice in Cornwall.
Mr. Gibeault said at the time he didn't know the turtle was a rare one, let alone a female carrying eggs, when his friends placed the creature between the front and back wheels of his car and he accelerated over it.
"But still," he said. "It's nature and I shouldn't have done it." He said he is looking forward to speaking to children about how turtles reproduce, where they live and where they lay their eggs. As a gift, he plans to bring the children miniature toy turtles, much like the ones that would have been born shortly had the mother not been killed in what was supposed to be "a joke."
Since the incident, he said, he has made good friends with one of the wildlife protection officers that came to him with the complaint. The officer has educated him about turtles.
"Turtles: there's millions in the world. But no, there's only 250 of those left in Ontario," he said of the map turtle. He said that, if it hadn't been for his action, the reptile could have spawned 30 generations within 12 years.
But at least now, he said, he can reach about 30 children to tell them how important it is to respect nature, especially the map turtle, which is named for the distinctive lines on its hard upper shell, that resemble lines from a topographical map.
"We have a species at risk here," said Shaun Thompson, a Kemptville ecologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources. "This species does not need any further issues in terms of knocking the numbers down, so that's a blow in itself."
Map turtles have high mortality rates among their young young. But they are "more secure" than animals labelled locally extinct or threatened, said Mr. Thompson, although species of special concern are still vulnerable to dwindling numbers.
The turtles live in large lakes and slow-moving rivers, and feed on snails and crustaceans. Mr. Thompson said shoreline and road development are also a threat.
The one that didn't make it had most likely left the South Nation River to look for a place to lay her eggs when she was discovered by the teenagers, conservation officers said.
Crysler residents tipped off conservation officers in June about what happened, which led to the charge.
"I've learned a lesson," Mr. Gibeault said.
"For kids who find animals and want to be funny with their friends, you think it's funny at first but once you know what you've done, it's not pleasant when you realize. Nature shouldn't be touched, it should be kept the way it is."