How many bog turtles are left

These deep mucky soils, fed by groundwater, provide protection from predators and other elements. Short clumps of vegetation let in plenty of sunlight for incubating eggs and basking. If any of these conditions change, a bog turtle population can decline and may eventually disappear from the area.

The bog turtle occurs only in the eastern United States, with distinct northern and southern populations separated by a mile gap through most of Virginia and West Virginia. The northern population is larger than the southern, with bog turtles occurring in eastern Pennsylvania , southern New York and most of New Jersey and extending as far north as Massachusetts. Although populations were once abundant in the Southern Blue Ridge of North and South Carolina and Georgia, the bog turtle is now facing unprecendented challenges to its survival.

The bog turtle is classified as federally-threatened on the U. Habitat loss and fragmentation and forest succession represent the primary reasons for the decline of this species. In the past, bog turtles could move to nearby habitat if conditions changed. However, remaining habitats have become more isolated because of land development. Loss of critical mountain bog habitat poses a major threat to the southern population of bog turtles, which tend to occur at higher altitudes than the northern population.

Mountain bogs are important for a variety of reasons. In addition to the bog turtle, bogs provide homes for four endangered species, including green pitcher plants, mountain sweet pitcher plants , swamp pink, and bunched arrowhead. Migratory birds such as woodcock, grouse, turkey and wood duck stop in for a visit.

This can mean costly and time-consuming weeding and brush-removal campaigns, and sometimes even the use of heavy machinery and nasty chemicals like herbicides. Or we could use cows. With four stomachs and a jaw built for gnashing greenery, Niederriter says, cattle can actually be a pretty good neighbor for bog turtles by chewing through unwanted vegetation, be it native or invasive. And their hooves help trample plants before they get too high for the turtles to crawl through.

And that means their continued existence will likely rely on local, state, and federal agencies, as well as conservation organizations, buying up and managing habitats where they remain.

All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of NRDC. Learn more or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To protect a massive swath of crucial habitat in New England, locals will use their own shrubland to fill in the blanks.

Squirrel monkeys must contend with habitat loss, decreasing genetic diversity, and the curse of being cute. Scientists are using wound-healing lasers and medical-grade honeycomb to give sea turtle populations a fighting chance. As forests are carved up across North America, its 51 woodland caribou herds are being left with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Range: Bog turtles currently occur in scattered colonies in western Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and through New York, south to northeast Maryland, southern Virginia, western North Carolina, and Georgia.

Description: The bog turtle is the smallest of the turtles found in Connecticut, measuring from 3 to 3. It has an orange or yellow head patch which is sometimes divided into 2 parts. The large scutes shell segments of the dark carapace upper shell have yellow or reddish hues. Males have a flatter carapace, concave plastron bottom shell , and a long, thick tail. Females have a wider carapace, convex plastron, and a short, thin tail.

Habitat and Diet: Suitable bog turtle habitat consists of calcareous containing calcium carbonate, calcium, or lime wetlands, such as open sphagnum bogs, wet meadows and wet pastures. In Connecticut, these special habitats only occur in the western part of the state. Bog turtles rely on an abundance of grassy or mossy cover and high humidity.

Open, sunny areas where the turtles can bask to raise their body temperature also are important. Bog turtles eat seeds, berries, insects, slugs, worms, crayfish, frogs, snakes, snails, and carrion. Once again, all parts of an ecosystem are important, if you lose one, the rest will eventually follow. From one to six eggs are deposited, and a single yearly clutch appears to be the norm. Bog turtles breed once yearly. Mating occurs in spring March to May. The nesting season extends from mid-May to early July, with most eggs laid in June.

Range and Habitat: Bog turtles are found in scattered populations along the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern U. Wood turtles spend the cold winter months hibernating in fast-flowing streams, emerging to feed and thermoregulate on land during warmer months. Unfortunately, wood turtles are often illegally poached for the pet trade.