United States Department of Transportation
i
report 2 : use of artificial nesting sites and wildlife exclusion fence to enhance nesting success.
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2016-10-01
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[PDF-2.65 MB]
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Abstract:The Northern Map Turtle, Graptemys geographica, is a Maryland state endangered species, found only in the lower Susquehanna River in Maryland. The only area where nests of this species are not heavily impacted by predators occurs in the town of Port Deposit. However, the Port Deposit nesting site is the location for a new environmental education center dedicated to the Susquehanna River and its animal and plant life, including the Northern Map Turtle. The plans for the environmental education center call for establishment of a secured nesting area for Map Turtles that will be surrounded by a wildlife exclusion fence that will both prevent disturbance of female Map Turtles while they are nesting and which will prevent turtles from reaching areas where they may be killed by traffic or harassed by humans. How Map Turtles will react to such a restriction to their nesting sites is unknown. Turtles could seek to evade the fence or abandon the area entirely. The objectives of this project were to (a) test how female Map Turtles reacted to a wildlife exclusion fence, (b) whether females would make use of a series of artificial nesting mounds to improve soil conditions, and (c) whether confining females to a limited areas resulted in higher levels of human disturbance.
Although some females evaded the fence early in the nesting season, most nests were dug within the fence perimeter and disturbance by visitors was minimal. Nest success was not quite as high as in previous years, possibly a result of poor drainage conditions around the fence used. The first known predation event within the town limits was documented, as was the attitude of the public towards the turtle. Specific recommendations are made for improving the nesting area and working with the public to reduce disturbance to the turtles while nesting.
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