MARITIME AQUARIUM LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO TRACK TERRAPINS
from: https://patch.com/connecticut/norwalk/maritime-aquarium-looking-volunteers-track-terrapins
FRIDAY MARCH 18, NORWALK, CT — The Maritime Aquarium is inviting residents of Connecticut's coastal communities to volunteer for the "Terrapin Tracker" program, designed to help study a turtle species whose population is "of special concern."
The goal of the Terrapin Tracker program is to collect data on the travel patterns of the diamondback terrapins (a turtle species). Specifically, scientists are hoping to gather information on road mortality, as females tend to cross coastal roads to find nesting areas.
Doing so would help them better understand where the turtles live, which could help prevent their deaths along coastal roads, the aquarium said in a news release.
Terrapin Tracker volunteers can register for one of two virtual trainings on Wednesday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 29, each from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (Registration is free, though the aquarium is suggesting a donation to participate).
Monitors must be at least 18 years old — though children can be accompanied by trained adults — and each volunteer will be trained on data collection and protocols to safely monitor coastal roadways.
After completing the training, volunteers will be assigned to a coastal roadway to look for terrapin mortalities once a week from April through August.
"It's an unfortunate task but it's a simple, helpful way for researchers to understand where strong diamondback terrapin population densities occur, and thus where to target efforts to help protect their numbers," said Bridget Cervero, a senior education manager at the aquarium. "By collecting data on road mortalities, volunteers will be helping to potentially reduce the incidents in the future."
Data collected in the project could be used to determine locations for terrapin-safe changes, such as constructing larger culverts that the turtles could move safely through, adding terrapin barriers and/or adding road signs urging drivers to watch out for the turtles, said Brian Hess, a wildlife biologist with the state department of energy and environmental protection.
Terrapin populations in Connecticut have been declining throughout the 1900s for a host of reasons, the aquarium said: Among them are unregulated harvesting for food, habitat loss, predation, boat propeller strikes, drowning in crab and lobster pots, and being hit by cars.
In 2015, the turtles were listed as a species "of special concern" under Connecticut's Endangered Species Act.
The Terrapin Tracker project is a collaboration between the aquarium, DEEP, the state department of transportation and Western Connecticut State University. It will support the research of John Michael Arnett, a graduate student at WCSU's integrated biological diversity program.