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Current Status:

The very limited range of the Plymouth red-bellied turtle is foremost among the threats to its survival and recovery: all inhabited ponds are confined to a small section of Plymouth County. Development of upland habitats, surrounding ponds, and shorelines adversely affects the turtle through the loss of nesting and basking sites, increased predation of eggs by raccoons and skunks, fluctuations in water table levels, and increased incidental mortality from vehicular traffic, shooting, and pets.

Achievements:

Recovery efforts focus on locating nests, protecting nest sites from predation, and retaining a number of hatchlings for "headstarting" in captivity. Headstarting provides young turtles with improved growth and survival potential. After 9 months in captivity, well-fed young turtles are returned in the spring to their natal ponds or historic habitat.

After surveying Federal Pond in 1991, biologists located a record 50 nests that produced 430 hatchlings. Biologists released more than 300 of these young turtles directly into the pond and retained 110 for headstarting. The survival rate for hatchlings in captivity exceeded 97 percent, much greater than in the wild, and the robust headstarted turtles were released into six ponds in the spring of 1992. In addition to the success of the headstarting program, recent monitoring efforts have identified a significant number of young turtles that are the result of natural recruitment, an encouraging sign.

Current Recovery Needs:

Necessary recovery actions include monitoring occupied ponds, surveying historic habitat, examining limiting factors, expanding the headstarting and nest-protection programs, identifying and protecting essential habitats, improving habitat through management, and continuing public education efforts.

Section 6 Funding and Activities:

In both FY 1991 and FY 1992, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife received $5,000 to support nest protection and monitoring. These funds also support tracking the survival of released turtles in the wild.

Partnerships

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Worcester State College, and University of Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program) monitors population status and trends, searches for new occurrences, evaluates limiting factors, manages the Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge under a cooperative agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service, locates and protects nests, coordinates the headstarting program, reestablishes new populations, enforces State endangered species protection regulations, and conducts public information and education programs. Several of these tasks have been conducted in conjunction with researchers at the Worcester State College (Department of Natural and Earth Sciences) and University of Massachusetts (Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management). In addition, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has headstarted and released more than 165 turtles into 10 ponds, including 4 new sites in the past 2 years.

Recovery Plan Status:

Original plan approved 3/26/81; revised 9/25/85.