NEWS JOURNAL (Wilmington, Delaware) 12 May 06 The bog turtle and the diamondback terrapin
Q. Why did the diamondback terrapin cross the road?
A. To get to the other side to lay its eggs.
Every year, from May to July, female terrapins around Delaware Seashore State Park travel from the brackish waters of the Rehoboth and Indian River bays to the Atlantic Ocean beach dunes to lay their eggs. The sandy, vegetated habitat on the beach side is perfect for nesting and within yards of high marsh, where the hatchlings spend their first year of life before entering the coastal bays. The problem with this, of course, is that Del. 1 is between the bays and the beach.
Just as the terrapin traffic starts to get busy, so, too, does human beach traffic. The result is a lot of injured or dead terrapins. Some years, as many as 121 turtle deaths are documented.
Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has been joined by several private organizations in an effort to reduce the mortality rate. One group, the nonprofit Center for the Inland Bays, had more than 50 volunteers working on terrapin protection efforts in 2005 and expects as many or more this season, according to Sally Boswell, the center's education and outreach coordinator.
TERP (Terrapin Education and Rescue Program) volunteers conducted road patrols on bicycles or in vehicles to monitor losses and move turtles that were in the road. They also helped install a fence on the west side of the highway to force the terrapins to nest on the bay side of Del. 1.
"The fence isn't an ideal solution," says Boswell. "DNREC and all of us involved in this effort know that we need to improve and increase good habitat on the west side of the highway."
But the good news is that terrapin mortality rates in 2005 were down in general and specifically for females.
"Because of the terrapin's long life span, (Their natural life span is speculated to be 40 years or more.) the age of reproductive maturity is high, but they continue to reproduce for up to 20 years," says Boswell. "A loss of one female means the loss of years of her natural reproduction and potential offspring."
The terrapins are "doing pretty well" in other beach areas, according to Jim White, associate director of land and biodiversity management at Delaware Nature Society. He says that healthy populations of terrapins can be found at Kitts Hummock, Pickering Beach and Woodland Beach, where they enjoy feasting on horseshoe crab eggs.
Bog turtles
If you’re trying to track down Holly Niederriter on any given workday, you might be told that she’s in a secret location.
But Niederriter isn't chasing spies for the CIA or FBI, she’s surveying bog turtles for the state’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. The secrecy is to protect these rare turtles.
Bog turtle habitats are kept secret because the turtles have been collected illegally and sold in the black market pet trade. Bog turtles were placed on the federal government's “threatened” list in 1997 and are listed on the state’s endangered species list.
Niederriter surveys the turtle habitats – primarily open bogs, wet meadows and wet pastures – to assess the health of the populations. Of particular concern are habitats near areas slated for development.
This is the time of year when Niederriter and other surveyors are busiest, as bog turtles come out of hibernation in April and May. After the long winter, these semiaquatic turtles come to the surface more frequently now, especially on warm days.
Bog turtles aren’t easy to spot. They’re only about 4 inches long. And except for bright orange spots on each side of the head and neck (which is typically under water), the bog turtle is dark-colored and blends into its surroundings. It also burrows into the mud when it senses danger. Rarely will it bask its entire body in the sun.
How you can help
The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute offers volunteer opportunities in several areas, including stranded animal response and transport of turtles to rehabilitation facilities. For details, visit www.merrinstitute.org/index.html or e-mail merrins@earthlink.net.
The Center for Inland Bays is recruiting volunteers for its diamondback terrapin program. For training dates or more information, call Sally Boswell, the center's outreach coordinator, at 226-8105.
On the water
•When boating in the ocean and bays, be on the lookout for sea turtles. Propellers are one of the most common causes of injury among sea turtles.
•Don't throw trash off a boat. Plastic bags are especially dangerous to sea turtles, as they look like jellyfish and are eaten by the turtles.
On the road
•Drive with care. If you find a turtle in the road, and it's safe for you to do so, move it off the road, in the direction it's headed.
•If you find a slightly injured turtle, leave it alone. Turtles are resilient and often heal on their own. If you find a severely injured turtle, however, contact a licensed rehabilitator or veterinarian. Note the precise location where the turtle was found. This will be important when the turtle is released, as many species have strong homing instincts. For these species, release should occur as close as possible to where the turtle was found.
In your yard
•Check your lawn for turtles before cutting the grass. Be especially careful when cutting at dawn or dusk.
•Consider planting native non-grass plants on a portion of your property, especially areas that are adjacent to woods.
•Eliminate or limit the use of pesticides and herbicides. These reduce the sources of food available to turtles.
•Plant dense roadside buffers, such as evergreens, to deter turtles from crossing the road.
•Don't allow dogs and cats to roam where turtles and their nests may be found.
Sources: Bill Hall, marine education specialist for the University of Delaware's Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service, and Holly Niederriter, wildlife biologist in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
The bog turtle and the diamondback terrapin

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