NEAFWA 2017

AUTHORS: William Schultz, Wildlife Biologist

ABSTRACT: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) listed the northern population of the bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) as threatened on November 4, 1997. Since that time the USFWS has tried to stem the further decline of bog turtle populations by controlling woody plant succession and invasive herbaceous species, determining the impact of predators, purchasing conservation easements on wetlands, conducting surveys and funding research. All this effort has not prevented the further decline of bog turtle populations. According to the USFWS (2001, 2006, 2010, 2012), the bog turtle has experienced a 50% decline in the last 20 to 30 years. Agency biologists have estimated that there are 10,000 bog turtles remaining in the northern range which encompasses portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. The majority of these wetlands support populations of between 15 and 30 turtles which mostly consist of old turtles subsisting in poor quality habitat (USFWS 2006, 2010, 2012). Only 35 of the remaining 545 bog turtle sites have more than 30 turtles (USFWS 2012). I propose a strategy of selecting and managing 150 of the best wetlands in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland and abandoning the 395 remaining wetlands. Presently, the USFWS does not have the money or personnel to manage even 150 wetlands let alone all 545 bog turtle wetlands. The turtles in the remaining wetlands would be collected and placed in a minimum of five breeding programs involving zoos, nonprofit organizations, and state natural resource agencies that are selected by the USFWS. The captive breed turtles can then be used to supplement existing populations in the 150 wetlands chosen for management.