Trapping Turtles

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UPDATE June 13, 2008

Bob Cherry at the National Park Service has sent in an update on how the bog turtles survived the winter of 2008. Bob wrote that, "Our turtles are all out of hibernation and we spent a couple weeks trapping all.  Between the tracking and trapping we're getting some good data about this population of turtles, unfortunately not all of it is good news.

Every turtle that we've trapped or observed this spring was one that we've caught in the past.  No new turtles so far this year.  I'm not sure why but it looks like we're not getting reproduction and may not have had successful nesting for a few years at this site.  We did put one of our refurbished transmitters on another female and so we have three males and three females that we're following around.  I'm hoping that at least one of the females will lay eggs this year but we won't know that until around June."

Bob asked FRIENDS to fund the refurbishment of the transmitters, and FRIENDS has accepted the funding request. New transmitters will be refurbished and sent back to Bob to continue the turtle tracking.

FRIENDS purchases more transmitters to save federally endangered turtles!

Park biologists and volunteers are continuing to track bog turtles using transmitters purchased by FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  FRIENDS is purchasing additional batteries and transmitters annually to assist the Park Service in their efforts to track the bog turtles.  Three of the turtles have been followed now for over two years and the other three since last year.  While it was hoped that a turtle might leave the wetland and move to other wetlands nearby, all six appear to be happy staying put. 

FRIENDS' volunteers are vital to this program. Volunteer Corrie Williams is shown replacing the old transmitters.  Corrie, a teacher at Watauga High School, received her masters degree from Appalachian State University.

With a few years of data park biologists are getting a better idea of how the turtles use the bog.  Most of the turtles have been wandering within a well-defined area, using only "their" portions of the bog. Two, however, have been found traveling extensively throughout the bog going from end to the other on a fairly regular basis.  Seldom are two turtles found close to each other but it is unclear whether this is an intentional attempt to keep some distance between themselves or just accidental.

Three turtles that have been tracked over two winters were found using the same hibernacula that they had the previous year.  One of the new turtles was also found to overwinter at one of these sites while the other two used different sites. Even during the summer months the turtles have returned to their hibernacula, spending up to a week at these sites before dispersing again. These sites generally consist of root mounds usually formed by trees or shrubs, but in many cases by grasses or ferns.  Either type provides a safe haven where the turtles cannot be reached by predators, such as raccoons, and bothersome researchers.

Recent drought conditions affected some turtles more than others.  One spent several days in a channel that kept getting smaller and smaller as the drought persisted.  Eventually it was limited to a small puddle where it stayed until rains finally returned.  Heavy rains over the last week the bog have refilled the wetland and the turtles have been very active with each moving fairly long distances, including two that moved more than 100' for three days in a row.

Despite these new findings we still have many questions to answer.  We had hoped to find which part of the bog the females use to lay their eggs, but with neither female gravid this year, we were not able to accomplish this.  Other studies have shown that bog turtles will often leave wetlands and travel long distances to other sites. Perhaps this year one of our turtles will get the urge to travel and we can learn more about where they might go and the routes they use as they roam.

History of the Bog Turtle

The Parkway's rarest turtle has gotten much attention thanks to help from a couple volunteers and the FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The rarest turtle in North American

Bog turtles, a federally endangered species, are found in several wetlands along the Parkway but their wet habitat and burrowing habits make it difficult to find them. Parkway employees with assistance from Project Bog Turtle and state employees have conducted searches in park wetlands and marked turtles that have been found.

Summer 2006.  We have taken an additional step in protecting and studying these animals. Cathy Heston, a volunteer at Sandy Flat constructed 28 traps designed to capture wandering turtles. Along with another volunteer, Sayrd Price, Parkway biologists placed traps in one wetland, checking them daily over an 11-day period.

These efforts resulted in three turtles, all female, being captured, including one turtle that was carrying well-developed eggs. One turtle even received a transmitter that was glued to its shell and the turtle is now being tracked as it moves around the bog.

Bog Turtle:  The Rarest Turtle in North America They weigh between 120 and 140 grams They like bogs – not ponds They’re identified by a yellow or orange patch on the sides of their necks They been around at least 600,000 years They each live 20 to 30 years The southern portion of their population makes their home along the Blue Ridge Parkway!

By tracking these turtles Parkway biologists hope to learn what parts of the wetland the turtles use, whether they also move to other wetlands nearby, how they deal with the traffic on the motor road and where they spend the winter.

The FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway donates much needed transmitters and batteries for the transmitters that will be placed on additional turtles as they are caught. FRIENDS' volunteers provide the research assistance needed for this project.

 

Volunteers track turtles with transmitters donated by FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway