ALEXUS ROBINSON 2/7/14 PERIOD 3 – ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ENDANGERED/THREATENED SPECIES The Bog Turtle

Common Name Bog turtle Latin Name Glyptemys muhlenbergii

Life History Sexually mature at the ages of 8-11 (both ages) Mate in the spring (after hibernation) (can last 5-20 minutes) Females can mate once, twice, or not at all. Males try to mate as many times as possible Nesting time is between April and July Most eggs are laid in June Females lay 1-6 eggs Many offspring do not survive sexually maturity After eggs are laid they go through an incubation period (last days)

Life History (Continued) If laid in colder weather, they incubate through the winter and hatch in the spring Babies are about 2.5 cm when hatched in late August/September Females are born smaller and grow slower In the first 4 years, they double in size (are not fully grown until they are about 5 or 6 years of age) Have a maximum lifespan of 50 years (average lifespan is years)

Physical Characteristics Size: in Weight: 3.9 oz Color: Bright yellow or orange spot on both sides of their head and neck. Dark body color. With orange-red splotches on the inside legs of some turtles. The upper shell is usually black. The lower shell can have cream and black blotches

Reproduction Age: 8-11 Gestation: About 3 months Litter Size: 1-4 eggs

Food and Water Preference Food: Seeds, berries, shoots, invertebrates, insects/insects larvae, crayfish, mollusks, worms, snails, slugs, amphibians, nestling rodents, and nestling birds Water: Freshwater

Habitat Wetlands, meadows, bogs, and marshes

Distribution Territory and Range

Ecology and Behavior Active during the day, sleeps at night Wakes up, sunbathes until warm – searches for food Stays in dense underbrush, underwater, or buried in mud during winter months Stays out of the sun during the hottest hour Late September – March/April = hibernation Male = territorial

Predators, Parasites, and Disease Predators: Snapping turtles, snakes, muskrats, striped skunks, foxes, dogs, and raccoons Parasites: Parasitic flies Disease: Bacterial infections, and bacterial aggregates

Cause of Listing Habitat loss from the draining and filling of wetlands for farming and development, including housing, roads, and golf courses. Illegal collection of bog turtles for the pet trade

Status (Delaware and Federal) Delaware: Threatened Federal: Threatened

Conservation Management Needs Field surveys Radio transmitters Breeding in captivity

Impacts to Ecosystem if Eliminated Food source for many animals

Site References rpetologicalsociety.com om om ildlifenj.org ildlifenj.org

Conclusion This animal is very secretive, mostly being under mud or underbrush out of sight. They are an important food source and are threatened to being endangered.

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