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RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS CONSERVATION & MANAGEMENT OF TURTLES & THEIR HABITAT

The Maine Wood Turtle Project is a longitudinal, ongoing program of research that encompasses many different studies, some of which include other turtle species and extend to other states. Together they provide a holistic approach to protecting wood turtles and assisting other local turtle species. Our current studies are focused on habitat selection, population demography, nesting success, wildlife forensics, and use of scent detection dogs. 

Habitat selection, home ranges, and movement patterns

Primarily using radio-telemetry, we are exploring what habitats Wood Turtles are using the most, how this changes across seasons, and whether or not males, females, and juveniles use the landscape differently. We are asking to what extent are the wood turtles in our study using human created sites such as agricultural areas, roads, and gravel/sand pits rather than natural areas, and what are the potential conservation and land management implications of those choices. GPS location data are currently being analyzed using geographic information system (GIS) layers of varying resolution while incorporating on-the-ground reporting of herbaceous cover and various habitat features. Home range and movement pattern analyses are a finer scale examination of habitat use by individuals that also considers the importance of structural, thermoregulatory, and other key aspects of the ecotones and microhabitats where turtles are found.

 

Upcoming work includes the addition of temperature data loggers and infrared thermometers to record turtles’ body temperatures at various times and locations. Recent severe droughts resulted in greater than average seasonal declines in water levels and may be responsible for an unusual amount of estivation behavior as the season progressed. Our concern about the impact of this on overwintering sites led to a closer examination and documentation of hibernacula selection. We anticipate extreme weather events like droughts will continue as part of climate change and that the effects of this could be reflected in the growth and body condition metrics we record, as well as in potential health and mortality events in our study population.

Population demography, morphometrics, and behaviors

Our crew photographically catalogs the physical appearance of every study turtle. They make notations on body condition (e.g., wounds, parasites, malformations), count shell annuli, record carapace and plastron length and width, as well as body mass to assist with age classification and measuring growth over time. Recording behaviors such as basking, mating, feeding, active movement and apparent dormancy along with social proximity to other turtles adds depth and dimension to our understanding of how wood turtles interface with their environment during different seasons and what might influence movement patterns, breeding success, and vulnerability to risk factors. Population demography uses mark-recapture data, as well as growth data, nesting success, and other parameters to model the status, stability and future of this population. We plan to use this information to assist our partners at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife by suggesting or evaluating future management plans and conservation initiatives for this population.

Nesting Success and Recruitment

Using trail cameras and direct observations, we have been monitoring nesting activity at both anthropogenic sites and natural sites since 2018. Location details, substrate type, and spacing of both test digs and nests have begun yielding interesting patterns. Potential and actual predators were also recorded from images, scats, and tracks. These baseline data will form the basis of a comprehensive study designed to better understand the impact of the high nest failure rates we have observed, and may ultimately be used to implement predator exclusion devices or other measures.

​​Environmental DNA (eDNA), Wildlife Forensics, and Combating the Illegal Turtle Trade​​

For this effort, we are taking two approaches, both of which are aimed at assisting conservation law enforcement efforts in combating trafficking. In the first study we are partnering with a CWS elemental analysis specialist and a state biologist to study trace elements and isotopic signatures of turtle claw tips in wood, spotted (Clemmys guttata) and Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) to detect turtle origin. Our hope is that we will be able to see consistent differences that are diagnostic for confiscated captive (legal) versus wild (illegal) turtles held in custody. Our partnership with the American Zoological Association’s SAFE program brings in captive turtle samples needed for comparison.

 

The second study utilizes environmental DNA (eDNA), which is the DNA naturally shed by an organism into its environment. Preliminary results suggest this method holds great potential for detecting wood turtles in low density populations. Current studies are aimed at (1) refining the methods to determine detection limits and (2) determine whether eDNA can be used to detect turtle presence in containers used to transport poached turtles illegally. Both elemental and eDNA studies are cutting-edge forensic applications that, if successful, could have a major impact as conservation law enforcement tools and potentially assist with the repatriation of turtles back into the wild.

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Conservation Scent Dogs

This exciting study was added to our summer season to document whether and how a scent detection dog can be trained to successfully track and locate a highly cryptic and difficult to find species such as the Wood Turtle. Working closely with Science Dogs of New England, a conservation scent dog training organization, we were able to reliably locate turtles without any telemetry assist by the end of last season. In upcoming seasons, we plan to continue the training to improve location timing and rate of detection, attempt to find never before located turtles in our study area, and potentially extend the dog’s detection abilities to include finding Wood Turtle nests.

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