I thought you all might enjoy this:

n addition to documentaries, educational programs and short films about non-profits, the non-profit group Small Scale Films is embarking on its first summer research project. The idea is to give a local student the opportunity to see what field biology, specifically herpetology, is all about with the hopes of steering them towards a career in science, AND to give a student interested in wildlife documentaries a subject to film and some guidance.

The project I chose was a mark and recapture study of the false map turtle in Johnson County, Kansas. I chose this project based on the fact that Curtis Schmidt and Travis Taggart at Fort Hays State University need tissues for this species, and because it has not been recorded in the county before. This assured that their project would have a real impact on a professional study and that the interns would get a county record as a result of it.

This summer's project interns are
PHIL Bellaci (probably spelled that name wrong)
and Dan Burdette.

Phil is a sophomore at Shawnee Mission Northwest Highschool and works at a local pet store. He is interested in a career with animals, but was not sure what was available.

Dan is a film student at KU who has a passion for reptiles and amphibians. He would like to make a career of filming these creatures.



The boys spent a total of about 18 hours building 5 basking type traps in my garage:
Dan Cutting Foam:

Traps drying:

We used Great Stuff to fill any holes in the traps:

This stuff is great!


It took us three different trips to get all five traps out as only two traps would fit on the canoe at once.
No turtles were caught, but two days ago Phil observed a large adult False Map Turtle sitting on trap number one.
Sadly, when we checked the trap later, she was not in it.

TODAY 5/28/09 the boys went out alone to check the traps and came home with a county record and our target species:

Turtle Number ONE:
Graptemys psuedogeographica


And the boys with their county record:

I will keep you posted on their progress, thanks for looking, and thanks for supporting Small Scale Films Inc.
Dan Krull
Watch a Trailer

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