Maryland Coastal Bays Program 2019 Terrapin Survey May 28 – June 1 Photo: Joe Lieb
Maryland Coastal Bays Program As a National Estuary Program, • Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) is a non-profit partnership among the towns of Ocean City and Berlin, the National Park Service (NPS), Worcester County, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Maryland Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Planning. One of only 28 such programs • nationwide, our goal is to protect and enhance the watershed, which includes Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin, and Assateague Island. East of Route 113, the 175-square mile • watershed is home to the treasured resources of the St. Martin River, Newport Bay, Assawoman Bay, Isle of Wight Bay, Sinepuxent Bay, and Chincoteague Bay.
Maryland’s State Reptile: The Northern Diamondback Terrapin MCBP, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is conducting the Terrapin Survey to better understand the current population status the diamondback terrapin ( Malaclemys terrapin ). Photo: Martha Johnson
Range & Habitat • Live in coastal salt marshes, tidal creeks, estuaries, and brackish marshes along the East and Gulf coasts. • Found from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Corpus Christi, Texas. ❖ Seven subspecies found within this range. ❖ Northern Diamondback Terrapin range is from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. ❖ Fun Fact: The Diamondback Terrapin is also found in Bermuda! This population has not been assigned a subspecies, but mtDNA testing shows it is closely related to the Carolina subspecies.
Male Female
Terrapin Diet Marine Worms Bivalves Blue Crabs Shrimp Marine Snails
Nesting • Mating: Mid-Spring Laying: Late May to • Mid-July Hatching: 7-10 weeks • after laying Temperature Variant • Hatchling Sex: ≤ 82 degrees mostly male ≥ 86 degrees mostly female Hatchling Success Rate: • Unknown/Highly Variable http://kellyandsarah.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html
Troubles Facing Terrapins • Inadequate population information – Classified “Apparently Secure” in Maryland • Habitat loss – Living space – Nesting sites – Food • Vehicle Strikes – Boats – Cars • Predation • Crab traps – Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) help prevent terrapin drownings http://www.turtlejournal.com/?p=6464
Terrapin Survey Tuesday, May 28 th through Saturday, June 1 st • Land-based – From your home, friend’s home (with permission), or contact MCBP for locations – 3 surveys, 15 minutes each • Water-based – Kayak, canoe, or boat – One way run, no time constraint
Location • We must have your location for the data to be valuable. If you have a smart phone, you can use one of the apps on the following page. – Coordinates must be in decimal degrees . – For boat surveys, take waypoints every 10 minutes if no terrapins are sighted. – Land-based surveys may use an address. Please do not access private property.
Coordinates must be in decimal degrees "Coordinates" for iOS devices: • – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coordinates-calculate- convert/id494286614?mt=8 "GPS Coordinates" for Android devices: • – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.woozilli.gpscoordinates Google Maps GPS Coordinates website. Can be used by someone who doesn't want • to install an app but still has GPS enabled: – http://www.gps-coordinates.net – (Be sure to allow location services the first time you visit the website, if it asks.) • "GPS Calculator" for Windows phones: – http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/gps-calculator/4e06928a- de12-e011-9264-00237de2db9e
Reporting Information • All forms will be available at: http://www.mdcoastalbays.org/terrapin-project • All data is important even when it’s negative! Be sure to report the absence of terrapins and location surveyed as well as presence!
What to Expect • Likely only the head will be visible. • Observe with binoculars. If needed, go forward slowly to see if the head disappears underwater. If it does, it’s a turtle! If not, it’s probably a stick.
Other Turtles Versus Terrapins
Supplies • Binoculars or spotting scope* • Data sheets • GPS, cell phone, or address* • Volunteer release form • Contact form • Hat, sunblock, bug spray, water *If surveying on land
Signing Up • Please be sure to submit: – Volunteer release form – Contact form • All survey members need to send release forms prior to surveying !
Questions? • Contact Katherine Phillips, Maryland Coastal Bays Program – 410-213-2297 ext. 109 or kphillips@mdcoastalbays.org
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