Tourism versus Turtles: Mitigation of Road Mortality of Turtles at a National Park
Protected areas such as National Parks provide visitors with the opportunity to see wildlife that cannot be found elsewhere, Unfortunately, human visitation often entails risks to the very wildlife visitors wish to see. The Colonial National Historical Park in Virigina has a Tour Loop through the Park that is popular with hikers, bicyclists, and drivers. However, turtles on the tour loop are often inadvertently killed by visitors. We surveyed the tour loop 281 times from March–October of 2024 and assessed where and when turtles were being subjected to road mortality and injury. Turtle species found included Box Turtles, Snapping Turtles, Spotted Turtles, Painted Turtles, Red-Bellied Cooters, and two species of Mud Turtles (Eastern and Striped). We found a total of 330 turtles during our surveys, with Mud Turtles and Box Turtles the most common species. Turtle road activity reached a maximum in mid-May, declining gradually through the end of August and early September. During this presentation Dr. Seigle will report on the findings of those surveys discussing which species were most impacted and how. He will also go into detail about the primary management recommendations they proposed that park officials adopt to help protect the turtle populations.
Dr. Richard A. Seigel (Rich) received his B.A. in Zoology and Physiology from Rutgers University, his M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Central Florida, and his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Rich moved to Towson University in Maryland as Department Chair of Biological Sciences in 2001, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus. Rich’s primary research interests are in the population ecology and conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers on herps and has co-authored or edited five books on the ecology and conservation of snakes. From 1993-2001 he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Herpetology. Rich has won numerous awards for his research, including the Paul Moler Herpetological Conservation Award from the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
This will be an in-person presentation at the NHSM building at 6908 Belair Rd.
Are you fascinated by reptiles and amphibians? The Natural History Society of Maryland’s Herp Club promotes the proper husbandry, conservation, study, and appreciation of reptiles and amphibians. Amateurs, professionals, and kids of all ages are welcome. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month and are open to the public.
Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Herp Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.
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