We have an exciting update from our Science Initiative staff!

Ben Stegenga and Kira Cates recently documented the first known occurrence of a wild #SpottedTurtle nesting four times in a single breeding season.

This was a recent special encounter for Kira, as she tracked this #SpottedTurtle for several months last season in order to locate her nests.

We have some exciting #SpottedTurtle news to share! While on a recent survey, Andrea, Emma, and Houston caught two turtles that were originally marked by Dr. Jackie Litzgus in 1999 and 2000!

We often don’t do much #SpottedTurtle work in the fall and winter, however, this year is different. All the hard work Ben and Kira did tracking female turtles this summer eventually paid off, and we ended up finding 14 nests (32 eggs).

SPOT-ting the difference: Did you know that, much like human fingerprints, each #SpottedTurtle has a unique pattern of spots on its carapace? No two are alike! Also, the number of spots will continue to increase as each turtle ages.

What would you do if the turtle you were trying to catch was basking right on top of your trap?

In her latest Herp Journal, Andrea Colton shares the highs, frustrations, and surprises of kicking off #SpottedTurtle season in South Carolina: www.oriannesociety.org/herp-journal...

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Grungy little terrapin prints + I guess I sign my work now. Still haven’t figured out how that looks or how I feel about it.

#printmaking #linocut #linocuts #handcarved #turtles #easternpaintedturtle #diamonbackterrapin #easternboxturtle #spottedturtle #blockprint #Art

Our research was well represented at the recent Southeastern Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SEPARC) meeting. Andrea, Ben, and Kira shared our #SpottedTurtle #research projects, and Houston presented on effective restoration planning for Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders.

We also collected 15 hatchlings to monitor their development and fitness until they can be released in the spring. This development data paired with all the incubation temperature data we collected will help us understand how changes to climate or habitat could impact #SpottedTurtle populations.

In the latest Fieldnotes, Ben Stegenga takes you through a season of #SpottedTurtle research, from following nesting females to raising hatchlings and finally returning them to the wild.

www.oriannesociety.org/fieldnotes/a...

We recently made an exciting discovery as part of our ongoing efforts to document #SpottedTurtle reproductive ecology in southern Georgia. Last week, we located the first nest that was part of the third round of clutches produced by female turtles this breeding season!

While collecting environmental DNA in South Carolina, Andrea met an unmarked #SpottedTurtle - now named Edna! Good thing Edna wasn’t fast, a 36lb eDNA sampler backpack slows Andrea down too. If enough DNA was shed, we might detect turtles like her with just water samples. A new survey method? Maybe!

Our Science Initiative team is currently in the middle of the #SpottedTurtle nesting season in southern Georgia. This year we are locating nests as part of a project examining the effects of temperature on nest success and hatchling performance.

Working at one of our long-term #SpottedTurtle research sites has been challenging this year. Downed trees from #HurricaneHelene altered the #wetland, making navigation difficult and changing habitat structure. More cover and basking spots—how #turtles respond remains to be seen.

Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)

📌 Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
📸 Nikon D500 | 200-500mm
🗓️ June 05, 2025

#WildlifePhotography #nikon #NikonPhotography #turtle #turtles #spottedturtle #clemmysguttata #herpetology #endangered #endangeredspecies @nature.org

"I carry the world on my shoulders." 2025
Mixed Media-Paint pen, pastel, on wood and card stock.
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This art piece shows the expanding ecosystem that the spotted turtle lives in. Being an endangered species means this turtle has a big job to survive and pass along its genetics.
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#spottedturtle

Today is #worldwildlifeday & what better way to shell-ebrate than w/a beautiful wild turtle. This #spottedturtle is #endangered which is largely due to habitat loss, road mortality, & poaching. They prefer shallow wetlands, which are particularly susceptible to pollution & targeted for destruction.