Western Pond SAFE Action Plan for 2019 - 2021

Goal

The long-term goal of the SAFE program is to ensure the stability of remaining Western Pond Turtle populations and support healthy population growth and expansion within the species’ range.

The primary goal of this three-year Program Action Plan is to prevent the Western Pond Turtle from being added to the Federal Endangered Species List in 2020. To do this, actions in this plan support the assessment of Western Pond Turtle populations and their threats, engage the public, build public and combined stakeholder efforts and support works that increase the number of living in natural areas in the species range. While there is no specific number of turtles that will prevent listing, a well-developed plan and expanding turtle populations may help meet this goal.

Photo by Marianne Hale

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Table of Contents

Plan Section Pages

Background 3

Conservation Target 3

Program Operational Structure 4

Program Partners 5

Status of Taxa Within AZA Community 6

AZA Public Engagement Activities 7

Existing Action Plans and Historical Actions 7-8

Potential Connections to Other Programs 8-9

Species Status 9

Threats 9

Strategies Overview 10

Literature Cited 11

Strategic Objectives 12

2019 through 2021 SAFE Strategy Actions 13-24

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Background

The Western Pond Turtle species complex (Actinemys or [formerly Clemmys] marmorata and Actinemys or Emys pallida; Crother 2017) is the only native freshwater turtle throughout most of its range. Formerly abundant, the turtles are now declining in many parts of the range which extends from north Western Baja California, Mexico, north through California, Western Nevada, and Oregon to the Puget Sound region of Washington. It is restricted to areas west of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains with a few exceptions. Historically, the turtle was also found in British Columbia, Canada but has not been seen there since 1959.

Western Pond Turtles (WPT) are of conservation concern throughout their range (Bury et al. 2012). Declines of WPT have been most severe in the northern and southern parts of the range, specifically in WA, southern CA, and Baja CA (Bury et al. 2012). The WPT is particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation due to its extensive use of both upland terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Other threats include predation, pollution, competition with non-native turtle species, disease, human disturbance, road mortality, and illegal collection. In the late 1800s, the turtle was highly exploited as a food source for the growing population of the American West.

Conservation Target:

Both recognized species of Western Pond Turtle are the conservation targets for this plan.

WPT is identified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs) of four participating states (WA, OR, CA, NV), and is under review for federal listing by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The WPT is State Endangered in WA, State Sensitive-Critical in OR, a Species of Conservation Priority in Nevada, and a Species of Special Concern (SSC) in CA. Because the turtle is vulnerable to numerous threats, conservation needs for WPTs are different depending on location with projects addressing the highest priority actions in each region identified in the 2015 WPT Conservation Action Plan (CAP; AZA 2015). Both species share IUCN Conservation Status Vulnerable (IUCN 2019).

Map of current range of the Northwestern Pond Turtle and the Southwestern Pond Turtle

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Program Operational Structure

Program Leader: Jason Watters, Ph.D, San Francisco Zoological Society (415) 213-8128; [email protected] Vice Program Leader: Jessie Bushell, M.S. San Francisco Zoological Society (415) 753-7080, Ext. 7079; [email protected] Public Engagement Subcommittee Lead: Jessica Moore, Northwest Trek (360) 832-7160; [email protected] Health Team Subcommittee Lead: Bobbi Miller, Woodland Park (206) 548-2621; [email protected] Additional Steering Committee Members: David Shepherdson, Ph.D, Oregon Zoo (513) 220-5765; [email protected] Blair Bazdarich, San Francisco Zoological Society (415) 753-8123; [email protected]

FCC Liaison: Jeff Ettling, Ph.D., Sedgwick County Zoo Chelonian TAG advisor: Michael Ogle, Knoxville Zoo

Photo courtesy of National Park Service

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Program Partners:

Numerous partners have been involved with Western Pond Turtle SAFE. Western Pond Turtle was one of the original SAFE programs established by AZA in 2014. Stakeholders, including , researchers and state and federal wildlife agencies met in Oakland, CA in 2015 to review threats and develop an action plan for the species.

Initial Program Partners present at Oakland Meeting

AECOM Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) California Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservacion de Fauna del Noroeste (CDFW) Department of Defense, Naval Facilities IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Engineering Command SW (DOD) Group IUCN SSC and Freshwater Turtle Knoxville Zoo Specialist Group Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Oregon Wildlife Institute Oregon Zoo Global (SDZG) San Francisco Zoological Society San Jose State University (SJSU) Sonoma State University (SSU) The Wildlife Project Turtle Conservancy US Fish and Wildlife Service` (USFWS) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Woodland Park Zoo University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) US Forest Service (USFS) US Geological Survey, Oregon (USGS-OR) US Geological Survey, California (USGS-CA)

Additional Program Partners

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Park Service (NPS) Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDW) PAWS Wildlife Center Safari West Sustainability in Prisons Project and Cedar Creek Corrections Facility Shedd Aquarium University of Illinois (UI) VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists VCA Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle

Public Engagement Partners

California Department of Fish and Wildlife CuriOdyssey Living Desert Oakland Zoo Oregon Zoo Northwest Trek San Francisco Zoological Society Turtle Conservancy

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Range-wide Conservation Coalition Partners

Bureau of Land Management California Department of Fish and Wildlife Department of Defense Fauna del Noroeste A.C., Baja California Independent biologist National Park Service Nevada Department of Wildlife Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Zoo PARC San Francisco Zoological Society US Fish and Wildlife Service US Forest Service US Geological Survey Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Status of Taxa Within AZA Community

The Western Pond Turtle is part of the Chelonian Taxon Advisory Group (TAG). Both species are in a Yellow Species Survival PlanTM (SSP). Studbooks separate individuals into the two current recognized species based upon genetic profiles. Currently, 25 institutions participate in the SSP.

Species Number of Individuals Number of SSP Holders Northern 68 16 Southern 57 15 Unknown 32 7

The Western Pond Turtle is relatively easy to care for and a fairly active, charismatic species. Injured or rehabilitated or captive born individuals that cannot be released back to their native areas may become good ambassadors for zoo and aquarium visitors. Exhibits with these can be effective at introducing people to conservation messaging and to helping zoo-goers understand actions they might be able to take to help in conserving the species and the habitats they rely on. For AZA organizations in WPT range states, local conservation messaging may be enhanced at exhibits housing the species. Additionally, because of the turtle’s aquatic nature, other conservation messaging such as water resource conservation and wetland restoration can be added to outreach programs that use the turtle to stimulate interest.

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Photo by Marianne Hale

AZA Public Engagement Activities to Date

Under the previous program action plan, WPT SAFE completed several public engagement activities. First, the foundation was laid for developing a public engagement plan with the implementation of a public engagement subcommittee and the appointment of a leader to that subgroup. The group surveyed WPT SAFE partners to determine best techniques for messaging to a zoo and aquarium audience and also to look for brief statements that SAFE partners believe to be effective in stimulating conservation action. The respondents to this survey felt that talking to people in person is one of the most effective means to communicate conservation messages about WPT. But further research should help to determine how best to develop an effective message. The WPT SAFE Public Engagement team has also developed materials that can be used for educational outreach at partner organizations including a low-cost informational poster.

Existing Action Plans and Historical Actions by AZA organizations in WPT Conservation

As Western Pond Turtles are currently not listed as a federally endangered species in the US, there is no active recovery plan for the species. Nevertheless, numerous actions are in place and developing that are aimed at supporting the turtles and their habitat needs. Indeed, a Range Wide Conservation Coalition is a group of stakeholders collaboratively developing a conservation plan for the turtles. This plan will be a major factor in determining whether the turtles are listed.

The result of the Oakland meeting was a Conservation Action Plan that described the group’s agreed- upon key projects and communication needs. These projects described needs for data on population status, habitat evaluations for turtle suitability, further research into turtle diseases and description of best practices for head-starting young turtles. A Call to Action document developed later to encouraged AZA member participation. In addition, following this meeting began working with

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stakeholders to facilitate more frequent regional working group meetings and develop a Western Pond Turtle Range-Wide Conservation Coalition.

The WPT has been a beneficiary of AZA conservation efforts for several years. Started in 1990 by Woodland Park Zoo’s former curator, Frank Slavens and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project is a long-term, comprehensive program to re- establish and protect this endangered species in Washington state. Following a massive decline statewide, the collaborative program has helped reverse the fate of this native turtle, increasing its wild population from 150 turtles to approximately 1000 today. Turtles are hatched at Woodland Park Zoo and Oregon Zoo each year and reared until they are large enough to avoid predation, then released into the protected habitats to help repopulate the species. Today, as a result of a collaborative effort between Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Western Pond Turtle is making a comeback in the state.

As described in this program plan, the newest threat to Washington turtles is ulcerative shell disease. Symptoms of this disease were first noted in 2009 and were identified as pitting on the shells of wild turtles in Washington. This disease creates erosions to the keratin and underlying bone of infected Western Pond Turtles, and in advanced cases, leads to mortality. The newly discovered fungal pathogen Emydomyces testavorans has been isolated and identified from infected turtles (Woodburn et al. 2019). Scientists think that this pathogen is the primary causative agent of the disease; however, additional testing is required to confirm this. A Western Pond Turtle Health Team was created to include a growing body of reptile pathogen and other experts from universities and other research facilities around the country. The project now includes experts from Shedd Aquarium Microbiome Project, PAWS, Washington State University, the Sustainability in Prisons Project, Northwest Trek, and the University of Illinois. Controlled studies on husbandry, comparative microbiome analyses, and other research are being performed to help identify the ultimate cause(s) of shell disease and improve methods of treatment.

In California, a partnership between Sonoma State University, San Francisco Zoo and Gardens, and Oakland Zoo combined head-starting with research studies of reproductive physiology both in situ and ex situ from 2008-2017. San Francisco Zoo and Gardens continues this work in National Parks throughout California, including Yosemite National Park, the Presidio of San Francisco, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore. In most of these areas, Pond turtles have been extirpated from pristine habitats over the past few decades with no obvious cause. The reintroductions and research are coupled with recent habitat restoration efforts and include extensive and long-term monitoring. San Diego Zoo Global has collaborated with the USGS to head-start and reintroduce at risk populations in Southern California. These projects also are in combination with habitat restoration efforts and long-term monitoring. Additionally, San Diego Zoo, the Turtle Conservancy and UCLA have collaborated on salvage operations in response to California droughts and severe declines in Pond turtles in Southern California.

Several other zoos, such as , Sacramento Zoo, California Science Center, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, , Sequoia Park Zoo and the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens have actively supported field conservation or research projects centered on Western Pond Turtles over the past several years. All of these efforts are essential to the long-term conservation and preservation of the species as well as increasing our understanding of the turtle in the wild and within our care at zoos, aquariums and museums.

Potential Connections to other SAFE Programs and Conservation Initiatives

Western Pond Turtle SAFE has potential connections to several other SAFE programs. Being a North America native species, WPT SAFE may benefit from working together with other North American

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species SAFE programs such as eastern indigo snake, black-footed ferret, whooping crane, American red wolf and Atlantic Acropora coral. By working together, these SAFE programs that represent varied North American species may be able to leverage a larger story to demonstrate ecological connections across species that suggest to AZA zoo-goers the value of small actions that may impact numerous species. Similarly, Western Pond Turtle SAFE, SAFE and Radiated Tortoise SAFE may be able to benefit from species similarity to develop larger reaching programs. These groups may benefit from sharing public outreach techniques and developing programs aimed at benefitting turtles and in general. Such collaborative efforts may facilitate switching to new species and developing new programs associated with them by finding generalities that can be applied across similar animal groups. Optimistically, as SAFE programs for individual species become successful, their program leaders may build on these successes and find new conservation opportunities where successful tactics can be applied relatively quickly and easily.

Species Status

Western Pond Turtles are Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state wildlife action plans of California, Washington, Oregon and Nevada. The turtles are also listed by IUCN as Vulnerable.

The year 2020 will see the species of Western Pond Turtle assessed for listing as a federally endangered species. Numerous stakeholders are working to evaluate populations of the turtle to bring as up to date data as possible to the conversation about listing the species. The Western Pond Turtle Range Wide Conservation Coalition is a group of numerous stakeholders that is working collaboratively to develop a conservation plan for the turtles. This conservation plan will include actions that can be taken across the species’ range to ensure their persistence. The plan will be a major factor in determining whether the turtles are listed or remain unlisted. It is the intent of the Coalition to have an established conservation plan in place by 2020 that prevents the turtles being listed as federally endangered. The objectives in this plan are designed to be synergistic with this developing plan and work to support it.

Threats Threats to the species’ vary in severity regionally; however, there are some that are consistent throughout much of the range. Major factors cited as limiting Western Pond Turtle populations include loss of aquatic habitats, elevated nest and hatchling predation, reduced availability of nest habitat, pollution and road mortality. Predation of nests may be above historical levels in human-altered landscapes due to greater abundance of medium-sized predators. Predation of hatchlings by introduced bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is thought to be significant. Road mortality is an important threat, particularly in urban and recreational areas. Release of pet turtles to natural areas is a growing threat and may result in increased competition and disease transmission. Connectivity between aquatic and upland habitats increasingly becomes a concern as urban and agricultural development continues to fragment landscapes. This is especially pervasive in Southern California where ongoing drought events, large-scale fires, and extensive damming activities create sudden and long-term water disruptions. Agricultural and vegetation management activities can result in nest destruction and mortality to adult females. Recreational activities within or adjacent to aquatic and nest habitats are an important concern in some parts of the species’ range as they can damage turtle nests. In addition, removal of Western Pond Turtles by the public for pets may cause local declines. Disease in Western Pond Turtles is not well-understood but has been documented as a threat to localized population with potential for range-wide impacts, including upper respiratory disease (Hays et al. 1999, Hallock et al. 2017) and shell disease.

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Photo by Jessie Bushell

Strategies Overview

The objectives in this plan are largely focused on helping to develop a recovery plan for Western Pond Turtles and understand factors that enhance their health and welfare both in situ and ex situ, while simultaneously building public interest and empowering the public to assist in the species’ recovery. These objectives are interrelated and success in one venue helps to develop success in others. Our objectives both help to develop the coming Recovery Plan as well as support its goals.

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Literature Cited

AZA SAFE Western Pond Turtle Conservation Action Plan. 2016 https://www.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/call_for_participation_western_pond_turtle_cap_51717.pdf

Bury, R.B., H.H. Welsh, Jr., D.J. Germano, and D.T. Ashton. 2012b. Objectives, nomenclature and , description, status and needs for sampling. Northwest Fauna 7:1–7.

Crother, B. I. (ed.). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding pp. 1–102. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43.

Hays, D.W., K.R. McAllister, S.A. Richardson, and D.W. Stinson.1999. Washington State recoveryplan for the Western Pond Turtle. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington. 66 pp.

Hallock, L. A., A. McMillan, and G.J. Wiles. 2017. Periodic status review for the Western Pond Turtle in Washington. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington. 19+v pp.

Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group 1996. Actinemys marmorata (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T4969A97292542. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4969A11104202.en. Downloaded on 09 August 2019.

Woodburn, A.N. Miller, M.C. Allender, C.W. Maddox, and K.A. Terio.. 2019. Emydomyces testavorans, a New and Species of Onygenalean Fungus Isolated from Shell Lesions of Freshwater Aquatic Turtles. J Clin Microbiol. 57(2): e00628-18. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00628-18

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Strategic Objectives

The Western Pond Turtle SAFE Program aims to assist with sustaining and re-establishing pond turtle populations through building a deeper understanding of factors that are currently challenges to pond turtle populations – both in situ and ex situ. This new 3-year Program Plan includes Conservation, Engagement, Awareness and Funding actions aimed at several key Strategic Objectives. For some of these Objectives, we estimate that success will likely be due to a combination of types of Actions. Thus, the table below provides a quick means of assessing to which category each Action that supports our Objectives belongs.

Strategic Objective 1. Increase knowledge of distribution, demographics and population trends.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 1.1-1.4 1.5

Strategic Objective 2. WPT Range-wide Conservation Coalition implements conservation plan.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 2.1, 2.2, 2.6, 2.7 2.3-2.5

Strategic Objective 3. Enhance habitat and wild populations.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 3.1, 3.2, 3.4-3.6 3.3

Strategic Objective 4. Identify origin, treatment and monitoring of Unidentified Shell Disease.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 4.1-4.6

Strategic Objective 5. Refine best practices in animal care and ensure use for WPTs in the SSP.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 5.1-5.3

Strategic Objective 6. Enhance engagement and awareness of WPT SAFE partners.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 6.1,6.2 6.3

Strategic Objective 7. Enhance public awareness.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 7.1-7.5

Strategic Objective 8. Increase funding for WPT conservation efforts.

Conservation Actions Engagement Actions Awareness Actions Funding Actions 8.1-8.3

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Western Pond Turtle SAFE Program 3 Year Strategy (2019 2021) Strategic Objective 1. Increase knowledge of WPT distribution, demographics and population trends throughout the range.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 1.1 Identify priority Biologists areas in OR for Stratified sampling 2020 Oregon Academic SWG grant WPT distribution, design for OR turtle NGOs funded demographics and surveys ODFW trends (DDT) USFWS studies (using USFS habitat mapping as USGS a base, if complete). Samara Group 1.2 Develop standard USGS San Diego Piloted in OR in Oregon USGS SWG grant sampling and and ODFW to 2018. Santa Barbara CDFW funded survey protocols for collaborate on Full implementation ODFW WPT across the methodology in 2019. range Work with ODFW, Incorporate CA in USFSW, BLM, FS 2019 -2020 to disseminate information to field biologists

Engage field biologists at meeting locations (ex APTF, Wildlife Society, PARC) 1.3 Conduct field Surveys conducted Surveys in 2018, Oregon USGS In kind from field studies in OR to annually, results 2019 & 2020. Data CDFW partners establish evaluated compiled and ODFW distribution, analyzed by 2020 NDFW SWG grant demographics and Q3. USFS funded trends Samara Group

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1.4 Investigate the Engage state 2020 San Francisco Biologists 0 feasibility for agencies and Academic distribution, regional biologists NGOs demographics and through working CDFW trends (DDT) field groups USFWS studies in CA and USFS Baja USGS NPS 1.5 Create range-wide Determine lead for Develop partners Oregon USGS $20,000 set up Citizen Science project and regional and protocols in San Francisco CDFW program to inform representatives to 2019. Full Turtle Conservancy ODFW $10,000 annual on current oversee chapters implementation Santa Barbara USFS population status 2020 Samara Group and monitor Collaborate with existing populations agencies for CitiSci needs

Engage 3 zoos in citizen science training and implementation annually

Hold 5 regional citizen science training sessions for 20 citizens each

Create project within in iNaturalist program or other database TBD

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Strategic Objective 2. WPT Range-wide Conservation Coalition (RCC) and partners establishes and implements a comprehensive WPT conservation plan.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 2.1 Work with USFWS on Federal Annual meeting of Spring 2019 San Francisco USFWS Funding listing status needs and develop development group Oregon CDFW secured a comprehensive range-wide ODFW USFWS grant WPT conservation plan Stakeholder Fall 2019 WDFW meeting NDFW $5,000 Spring 2020 USFS Annual meeting of NPS development group USGS DOD $8,000 Final document by BLM 2020 listing PARC decision $5,000 2.2 Provide assistance to USFWS Share SWG grant 2020 Oregon CDFW to ensure that needed data is data on current and Woodland Park ODFW available for listing decision historical WPT WDFW DDT in priority NDFW areas USFS NPS Genetic analysis USGS UCLA 2.3 Finalize draft and obtain Final draft 2019 San Francisco USFWS 0 signatures to formalize approval by April CDFW partnership and MOU 2019 ODFW WDFW Signatures by NDFW September 2019 USFS NPS USGS DOD BLM PARC

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2.4 Formalize WPTRCC Identify necessary Spring 2020 San Francisco USFWS Included in organizational structure and resources. Create Oregon CDFW meeting costs working procedures once sustainable funding ODFW above conservation plan is finalized model WDFW NDFW Develop schedule USFS and process for Fall 2019 NPS communication USGS and decision DOD making BLM PARC Identify priorities, goals, sub-groups, Fall 2019 task leads and evaluation methods 2.5 Create public-private Create ³2 Fall 2020 San Francisco USFWS Included in partnerships, including with conservation Oregon CDFW meeting costs private landowners and NGOs agreements ODFW above WDFW Identify and NDFW incorporate 5-10 Fall 2020 USFS conservation NPS partners USGS DOD BLM PARC 2.6 Develop schedule to implement Create schedule Fall 2019 San Francisco USFWS Included in plan components, including Oregon CDFW meeting costs identify/confirm appropriate Confirm and Spring 2020 ODFW above parties implement WDFW responsibilities NDFW USFS NPS USGS DOD BLM PARC

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2.7 Develop monitoring and Draft evaluation Fall 2019 San Francisco USFWS Included in evaluation methods for plan Oregon CDFW meeting costs components of the plan, ODFW above including methods to ensure WDFW communication/accountability NDFW among implementers and Final evaluation Spring 2020 USFS schedule to regularly assess plan NPS program against USGS implementation schedule and DOD plan BLM PARC

Strategic Objective 3. Enhance habitat and wild populations.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 3.1 Conduct habitat Restored acreage 2020 Q3 Report Oregon ODFW Field Partners restoration in conjunction out for SWG grant Woodland Park WDFW with state and federal Ecological San Francisco CDFW agencies Integrity Analysis NV USFS Invasive species removal

Basking structures

Seeding of vegetation 3.2 Encourage regional AZA 100 acres of 2020 TBD TBD $5000 facilities to partner with restored or created annually conservation groups or habitat for WPT agencies to perform small annually restoration projects locally for WPT population enhancement

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3.3 Begin conversation with Identify potential 2019 TBD USFWS? Institutional Canadian zoos/aquariums partners support for and wildlife agencies participants about potential for Create working 2020 headstart/reintroductions group to explore to Canada options 3.4 Work with federal and Develop a strategy 2021 TBD USFWS $30,000 state agencies to for reintroducing CDFW investigate population pond turtles ODFW augmentation projects to WDFW enhance recovery of Organize PVA for NDFW severely depleted entire range USFS populations to viable NPS levels once the causes for USGS decline or extirpation DOD have been resolved or as BLM recommended by WPT PARC RCC conservation strategy 3.5 Create protocols for Develop care and 2021 Woodland Park head-starting at AZA or nutrition guide Oregon agencies facilities San Francisco Develop a protocol San Diego to assess readiness Fresno for release

3.6 Study of WPT population Collate and 2021 TBD Institutional augmentation synthesize existing support for data on outcomes participants of WPT augmentation programs

Write study results

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Strategic Objective 4. Identify the causative etiology, treatment and monitoring of Unidentified Shell Disease in wild and head-started populations.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 4.1 Identify the etiology Pathogen(s) 5 years to ID Shedd Aquarium WDFW: WDFW: $5,000/year of shell disease identified associated University of pathogens. Illinois Number of research If Koch’s publications postulates fulfilled, timeline would be 10‒15 years. 4.2 ID appropriate Number of turtles 5‒10 years Woodland Park WDFW WDFW Vet and treatment of shell treated Oregon PAWS Herpetologist disease that slows San Francisco support: the progression of Number of research New partners 2 weeks/yr for each shell disease, and publications = $12,500/yr prolongs the life of individuals so they can continue to contribute to population recovery (i.e. reproduce)). 4.3 Design and perform Pharmacokinetic 2‒5 years Woodland Park University of U. TN: pharmacokinetic studies performed at Oregon Tennessee pharmacokinetic studies to investigate University of WDFW research: $2,119 utility of various Tennessee antifungal treatments (e.g., Terbinifine nebulization vs. implants). 4.4 Investigate the Number of turtles 2‒5 years Shedd Aquarium University of Shedd Lab costs: utility of shell scanned Illinois $28,260 microbiome analysis Number of Woodland Park Shedd: Fieldwork: and CT scan microbiome samples WDFW $8370 technologies as tools processed Personnel: $24,150 for determining and VCA Hospital monitoring disease Number of research status of USD. publications

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4.5 Use research results Metric will include 2 years Woodland Park WDFW In-kind funding only to inform reduced incidence of Oregon (salary) improvements to early onset San Francisco WPT husbandry at symptoms shell stakeholder disease in Pond institutions, turtle hatchlings. including aspects of nutrition. 4.6 Create monitoring Produce webinar for 2‒5 years Oregon WDFW TBD guide and training state agency Woodland Park for field biologists, biologists in OR, San Francisco including field and CA, NV CT scan assessment TBD of wild turtles with Provide training at shell disease APTF, Wildlife Society, PARC and other meetings $2000 to create Create field guide laminated copies for shell disease ID

Strategic Objective 5. Refine best practices in animal care and welfare and ensure use for WPTs in the SSP.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 5.1 The demographic Genetics survey Jan 2019 San Francisco PMC ($10,000 paid) and genetic health of completed Fresno Chelonian TAG the two Pond turtle All SSP species is maintained Studbook updated Feb 2019 participants in the SSP Institutional SSP updated Oct 2019 support for participants

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5.2 Create WPT Collect updated April 2019; San Francisco Chelonian TAG Institutional Husbandry Group WPT husbandry and annually Fresno support for with goal to develop welfare protocols Woodland Park participants best practices guide from all holding Oregon and compose/publish zoos/aquariums, Sacramento an AZA WPT with a focus on San Diego Animal Care Manual practices for head Turtle start animals Spring 2019; Conservancy annually

Group meet at Herp Jan 2020 TAG 2019

Create Advisory Group for SSP Jan 2020

Identify husbandry variables that warrant further assessment, with a 2021 focus on head start animals

Draft guide 5.3 Design and Determine partners Spring 2020 San Francisco TBD TBD implement studies of for each study Fresno chosen variables Woodland Park Obtain necessary Fall 2020 Oregon permits Sacramento San Diego Develop Fall 2020 standardized data collection protocols

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Strategic Objective 6. Enhance communication and engagement of WPT SAFE partners

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 6.1 Create quarterly 4 newsletters sent March 2019 1st San Francisco 0 newsletter for SAFE annually issue then quarterly WPT partners and supporters to Increase #s on list facilitate by 5 per year communication 6.2 Increase the number Add at least one Annually Northwest Trek 0 of partner facilities new program in the Western Pond partnership per year Turtle SAFE program Additional AZA institutions will build WPT exhibits, allowing the SSP population to increase in numbers

6.3 Submit research 1 per year with Annual 0 publications to peer SAFE participant as reviewed journals author or co-author

Strategic Objective 7: Enhance the general public’s awareness of WPT threats and actions they can take

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 7.1 Create social media New post created Bi-monthly Northwest Trek 0 content that can be every other month shared by partner and shared with facilities partners

7.2 Create activities and World Turtle Day New material by Northwest Trek 0 messaging for activities and May 1st, 2019. San Francisco partner facilities to messaging shared Reviewed and Fresno use to celebrate with partners updated annually as World Turtle Day needed

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7.3 Increase awareness Additional AZA Add one per year San Francisco 0 of Western Pond institutions will Fresno Turtles among the build WPT exhibits Woodland Park AZA community’s audience World Turtle Day activities Annually documented at five Northwest Trek or more facilities San Francisco Fresno 7.4 Create menu of Develop signage New material by Northwest Trek $3,000 consistent messages and implement at September 30, San Francisco for signage to be one new facility per 2019. Reviewed Fresno installed at partner year and updated Woodland Park facilities displaying annually as needed and/or interpreting Western Pond Turtles 7.5 Create educational Activities for materials for zoos grades TK-5 and public/agency partners Activities for grades 6-8 One activity/year Activities for for each grades 9-12

Activities for non- school programs

7.6 Begin brainstorming Meet with other with other North SAFE programs at America SAFE AZA annual 2020 programs to develop a “connected” story

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Strategic Objective 8. Increase funding for WPT conservation efforts.

Action Description Metrics Timeframe AZA Zoos Field Partners Annual Budget 8.1 Create WPT SAFE Create WPT SAFE By end of 2019 TBD 0 identity logo

Utilize logo for fundraising efforts (ie at HerpTAG, Wildlife Society, etc) 8.2 Increase AZA Add 2 new AZA 2019-2021 TBD 0 institution funding institutions as for WPT funders for WPT conservation efforts conservation annually 8.3 Apply for grants for Number of grant 2019-2021 Woodland Park 0 individual programs proposals San Francisco and shared efforts. submitted per Oregon project: Others TBD Disease Population Assessment Citizen Science Others

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