Pile o’ Turtles
Turtles, turtles and more turtles! That was my view of a small section of the Chadakoin River last week as over a dozen spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera) lined the exposed concrete and sandbars at the river’s edge. These girls and little boy hauled themselves out of the water and piled themselves onto the concrete debris left in the river from some form of development. While this seems like an unlikely place for these turtles to live, they appear to be well adapted to their urban habitat. We are excited to have the opportunity to begin studying these Muppet-like turtles and...
Read MoreNEPARC Annual Meeting
Last week I got the opportunity to attend my first NEPARC (Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) annual meeting held at Allegany State Park in Salamanca, New York. For those that aren’t familiar with the not for profit, NEPARC is a regional subset of PARC or Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. This organization forms inclusive partnerships with like-minded professionals and citizens that are dedicated to the conservation of amphibians, reptiles and their respective habitats throughout each region of the United States and beyond. PARC interacts with...
Read MoreBackyard Breeders
While the birds have been singing away in attempts to establish territories and attract potential mates, other species of spring breeders have been quietly courting and scoping out safe places to deposit eggs. The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) for example, is a common backyard breeder that often goes unheard and unseen during the breeding season. From March to mid-June, males will attempt to charm a female by performing an underwater dance, wiggling his foreclaws in her face and swimming around her until she accepts his persistence by sinking to the bottom of the water body. Sounds...
Read MoreSpiny Softshell Turtles in Downtown Jamestown
Spiny Softshell Turtles are big, strange-looking animals. They are probably unlike any turtle you have seen before. They’re also quite rare in New York and are considered a species of Special Concern. It is quite amazing that it is possible to find a dozen adult females basking in downtown Jamestown in a matter of minutes, until you realize why they are so concentrated here: they are all centered on the last remnant of marginally suitable habitat for them to lay their eggs in. Nesting here is extremely difficult as years of gravel and other debris has been packed down and is quite...
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