U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Bog Turtle Conservation in the Northeast

The bog turtle has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1997, when it was listed as a federally threatened species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees the recovery of this species.

Working toward recovery Habitat protection n The Service works with many partners toward habitat protection.

USFWS • The National Wildlife Refuge Bog turtle System allows the Service to At only about 4 inches long, the bog protect habitat on federally turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is owned properties, including Walunas/USFWS Great Swamp, Wallkill River and

North America’s smallest turtle. Rosie Cherry Valley national wildlife refuges in New Jersey and A newly hatched bog turtle in northern This species typically shows a bright New Jersey with yolk sac still attached. yellow, orange or red blotch on each Pennsylvania. side of the head. The nearly parallel • The Service also provides grant n Grants provided by the Service help sides of the upper shell—known as its money to others, such as states states and landowners restore bog carapace—give bog turtles an oblong and private organizations like turtle habitat. appearance when viewed from above. The Nature Conservancy, to buy These small, semi-aquatic turtles land for habitat. Monitoring and research consume a varied diet of primarily n The Service assists, through its field insects, snails and worms. Habitat restoration biologists and state grants, with the n Service staff and biologists work to conservation of the endangered bog Bog turtles usually occur in small, restore the water quality and open turtle by: discrete populations, generally canopy habitats that are essential for • Monitoring populations; occupying open-canopy, unpolluted, the bog turtle. • Supporting research projects on herbaceous sedge meadows and fens • Open habitat was originally habitat and living populations; bordered by wooded areas. Fens are maintained by wildlife, fire and and freshwater, bog-like wetlands that are grazing, but now forests have • Understanding and improving a mosaic of open and shrub habitats grown up with invasive plants the knowledge of the turtle’s with grasses, sedges, and small spring- unsuitable for bog turtles. ecology to best work toward n fed streams. Bog turtles depend upon Service staff works with private overall recovery. this diversity of habitats for foraging, landowners through the Partners for nesting, basking and hibernating. Fish and Wildlife Program. Highlights of Northeast Region conservation The northern population of bog turtles U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Law ranges from New York and western Enforcement Massachusetts south to Maryland. n Officers are trained extensively on turtle species and work closely with The greatest threats to the bog state environment police officers. turtle are the loss, degradation and They investigate cases of habitat fragmentation of its habitat from destruction and are involved with wetland alteration, development, interstate commerce for the purpose

pollution, invasive species and advanced GaryPeeples/USFWS of stopping pet trade collection. plant growth. The species is also An example of bog turtle habitat – open threatened by poaching—collection for canopy, unpolluted, herbaceous sedge illegal wildlife trade. meadows and fens. New England Field Office New Jersey Field Office • A doctoral student recently n Staff is planning habitat n Biologists with the Partners for Fish created assessment models restoration work in Connecticut and Wildlife Program are working at different sites that will tell and Massachusetts and surveying with the Conservation Wildlife whether a site can be suitable Connecticut to find more bog turtle Foundation. More than 80 percent habitat over a long period of sites. of New Jersey land is privately time. owned, so partnership with private • Another partner is working to Cherry Valley and Wallkill River landowners is essential to help identify new sites for potential National Wildlife Refuges improve bog turtle habitat. habitat, assist in landowner n Biologists are working with partner n Projects include placing electrical outreach efforts, supervise new organizations and volunteers to fencing around privately owned projects and conduct population conduct a mark-recapture study—a lands. Cows, sheep and goats control surveys. strategy that monitors population vegetation to help eliminate invasive • With help from the Great sizes—at Cherry Valley, along with plant species, including reed canary Lakes Restoration Initiative, habitat restoration, tracking turtles grass and phragmites. This results two professors from the State through radio telemetry, and invasive in 15 acres of habitat restoration per University of New York are species control. year. finding more suitable habitat for n Cherry Valley is also surveying n Biologists also work with the State bog turtles. refuge-owned lands for bog turtles of New Jersey Endangered and and will be adding new potential Nongame Species Program for The Service is dedicated to the habitat. habitat restoration. They work to conservation and recovery of the bog create more open-canopy nesting turtle and continues to work with Chesapeake Bay Field Office habitat by removing some red maple partners to protect and restore habitat, n Biologists are using goats to maintain trees and poison sumac shrubs curb poaching and learn more about wetlands through managed grazing. through mechanical and herbicide North America’s smallest turtle. For a few months in 2008, 19 goats removal methods. These are native were placed on a 5-acre bog turtle species with dominating, invasive site in Carroll County to control species qualities. unwanted vegetation, including the n Learn more: http://www.youtube. invasive multiflora rose. com/watch?v=rc6P4INbwTE& • Partners include a private landowner, the USDA-Natural New York Field Office Resources Conservation Service, n Service biologists work with partners and the Environmental Defense for habitat restoration, including Fund. The U.S. Department of prescribed grazing projects with

Agriculture holds a permanent private landowners and funds from USFWS easement for the wetland portion the USDA-NRCS. Bog turtles are darkly colored with a of this property. n The New England Field Office is bright yellow, orange or red blotch on • Learn more: http://www.fws. working with veterinarians from each side of the head. gov/chesapeakebay/Newsletter/ the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Fall08/Goats/Goats.htm Bronx Zoo as they conduct health U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service n Additional projects through assessments of bog turtles in 1 800/344 WILD the Coastal Program and the Massachusetts and New York. www.fws.gov Endangered Species Program n This office also works with June 2011 with private landowners and other contractors for bog turtle partners include: conservation and recovery. • Installing fences on 6 acres at two sites in Maryland and a 3-acre site in Delaware to protect these sites from overgrazing. • Working with a Maryland landowner and USDA-NRCS to protect 30 acres of bog turtle habitat through the Wetland Restoration Program. • Prioritizing 65 bog turtle sites in Maryland for future restoration efforts based on population size, reproduction and connectivity to other bog turtle sites. • Learn more: http://www.fws. gov/chesapeakebay/Newsletter/ Spring11/bogturtle/bogturtle. html GaryPeeples/USFWS A group of biologists discuss their efforts to survey bog turtles in this habitat.