 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
|
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Interactions with People and Other Animals: Threats to the spotted turtle include illegal collection for the pet trade, destruction of nests by predators or human activity, and habitat destruction. The spotted turtle is highly prized by the pet trade where they regularly command prices as high as $400 in Japan and Europe. Illicit commercial exploitation of the species is depleting populations in many parts of their range and may be contributing to the demise of already declining populations in New England. As a Threatened species, Maine spotted turtles are protected, and collection for commercial or personal use is strictly forbidden. In some populations, predators can destroy a high percentage of the nests in a given year. The long lifespan of the spotted turtle partially compensates for this predation, but several consecutive years of poor productivity can alter the age structure of the population and may pose a real threat to the population. Predators that increase in response to human activity (e.g., raccoons, skunks, foxes) may exert increasing pressure on turtles in developed areas. Neighborhood dogs that have a predilection for chewing on turtle shells may also have a negative impact on populations. Development and the resulting habitat fragmentation are likely the greatest threats to Maine's populations (McCollough 1991b).The great increase in residential development in recent decades in York and Cumberland counties has contributed to the construction of roads, the altering of upland habitats, and the degradation or destruction of wetlands. Nesting females and emerging hatchlings are especially susceptible to automobile-caused mortality. Roadsides and lawns seem to attract nesting females, but may lead to high mortality from road grading and invasion of the eggs by grass roots. Development not only results in a direct loss of habitat but also leaves the remaining wetlands more fragmented. Spotted turtles use different types of wetlands during different times of the year. Conservation measures should protect wetland complexes in an intact upland habitat matrix. Areas targeted for conservation should also be large enough to accommodate viable populations of spotted turtles, and the upland habitat should be conducive to travel between wetlands. Habitat conservation efforts are being initiated at several large blocks of habitat having high densi-ties of vernal pools and other small wetlands in York County, Maine. (Lisa
A. Joyal, U.S. Fish and Wildlife |
|
||||
