Blanding's Turtle
Turtle of Concern in the Northeast
The Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea
blandingii) is a medium-sized,
semi-aquatic freshwater turtle that
inhabits wetlands in parts of the upper
Midwest, New York, New England,
and southern Canada with remnant
populations in Nova Scotia. While
populations throughout the Midwest
are somewhat contiguous, populations
in the Northeast and Nova Scotia are
fragmented.
Blanding's turtles have life history
characteristics that are comparable
with sea turtles and tortoises. They
can live to 70 years of age, tend to
reach sexual maturity at more than 20
years of age and have low reproductive
potential. As a result, populations
of Blanding's turtles are extremely
sensitive to adult mortality. Throughout
the Northeast, populations appear to be
declining.
Blanding's turtles in the Northeast
In New York and New England,
Blanding's turtles use vernal pool
habitats for breeding and feeding.
Compared to other aquatic turtles, the
Blanding's turtle is known to make
large land movements in search of
suitable vernal pool habitats, often
traveling more than a mile. Because of
these movements, Blanding's turtles
require larger landscapes than many
other turtle species.
In the Northeast, these journeys often
require these turtles to cross roads,
where they risk mortality. Protection
of individual wetland sites has been
difficult enough, but large-scale
landscape conservation is even more
daunting, especially in the heavily
developed northeastern U.S.
The Blanding's turtle is listed as a
Species of Greatest Conservation
Need in all five Northeast states
where it occurs. In 2007, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, in coordination
with several conservation partners,
assisted in the preparation of a status
assessment that concluded that
Northeast populations may be in
serious decline.
Though the species is not currently
federally listed, the Service will
continue to review its status closely and
is dedicated to conservation work for
the turtle.
Two of the largest populations of
Blanding's turtles in the Northeast
exist at Oxbow National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR) and Great Meadows
NWR in Massachusetts. Biologists
are partnering with researchers to
establish another population at Assabet
River NWR, which is located between
the other two population sites.
Conserving Blanding's turtles in the
Northeast Region
New England Field Office
- Service biologists worked through
the Science Support Partnership joint
grant with U.S. Geological Survey
to help develop and conduct a status
assessment of Blanding's turtles in
the Northeast.
- In an effort to reduce road mortality,
biologists are also working with
various state transportation
departments to install road signs
warning motorists of Blanding's
turtles in the area.
- Thanks to a grant dedicated to the
conservation of Blanding's turtles
and wetlands in the Northeast,
several states are partnering to
develop a regional conservation plan,
help identify genetic variation among
these turtles, develop long-term monitoring protocols for the turtles
and their habitats, create at
least five new nesting areas, and
install turtle crossing signs.
Eastern Massachusetts National
Wildlife Refuge Complex
Great Meadows National Wildlife
Refuge
- Biologists are using radio telemetry
to monitor the health and seasonal
movements of Blanding's turtles.
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
- Each year starting in May, biologists
and partners conduct nighttime
surveys of Blanding's turtles when
they move from wetlands to nesting
areas.
- Service biologists are using an
experimental headstarting program
to establish a new population of
Blanding's turtles on refuge lands.
This program involves collecting
eggs, hatching them in captivity and
releasing them in the wild when the
turtles are large enough to survive
most predation.
- Bristol County Agricultural
School sophomores partnered
with species experts to raise
Blanding's turtles and released
them in late spring into wetland
habitat at Assabet.
- The refuge continues to work with
the University of Massachusetts
Amherst to test road tunnels.
- A graduate student, building on
previous work, is examining the
success of different methods to
help turtles safely cross roads; the
methods include fencing, paths
constructed underneath roads, and
tunnels with various openings, light
and lengths. The result of this research
project will help guide management
and, hopefully, road design.
Assabet River National
Wildlife Refuge
- Biologists are working with Great
Meadows NWR to capture Blanding's
turtles to monitor population health.
- Refuge staff worked with the
Thoreau School in Concord in April
2011 to host a turtle night that
featured turtle exhibits and
talks from turtle researchers and
conservationists. This partnership is
increasing community awareness and
involvement in turtle conservation.
Through these efforts, the Service
and its conservation partners
are taking proactive measures to
conserve Blanding's turtles and hope
that successful efforts will lead to
improvement in populations in the
Northeast.
Download the factsheet (pdf) |
Blanding's turtle. Credit: USFWS
Bristol County Agricultural School students release Blanding's turtles that they raised with the help of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists. Credit: Keith Shannon/USFWS
Blanding's turtle. Credit: USFWS
A biologist looks for Blanding's turtles in a net. Credit: USFWS
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