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Wood Turtle (Clemmys insculpta) Diet: Wood turtles are opportunistic omnivores, consuming many different plant and animal foods. They have been observed consuming blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, leaves, grasses, algae, molluscs, insects, earthworms, tadpoles, dead fish, and newborn mice (Harding and Bloomer 1979). Season-ally abundant vegetation is utilized, and may compose a large portion of the diet. Although food is not considered to be limiting for wood turtle populations, habitats with seasonally abundant foods may be an important requisite. Interactions with People and Other Animals: Adult wood turtles are generally not preyed upon by any other animals. However, some mammals may attempt to prey on wood turtles, as evidenced by missing limbs and tails and scarring on some individuals. It is believed that predation of young is the main reason for low recruitment in wood turtle populations (Harding and Bloomer 1979). Because wood turtles are popular pets, their populations have been seriously depleted in some areas. Incidents of large scale collecting have been discovered in Maine and can cause population declines that may take centuries to recover. Because turtles depend on long-lived adults to sustain population levels, removal of these individuals will have lasting effects, and can easily lead to local extirpation. Recreationists may also unwittingly be leading to the decline of the wood turtle. Nesting females are extremely sensitive to human disturbance, and will abandon a nest excavation after the most minimal interruption. Also, small-scale collection of wood turtles by recreationists can lead to the same type of declines caused by commercial harvesting. In a study in Connecticut, 2 wood turtle populations in areas previously closed to the public were extirpated within 10 years after being opened to recreation (Garber and Burger 1995). Water management strategies which result in flooding of low-lying areas during the incubation period threaten nesting sites on many rivers. Land development patterns which fragment, destroy, or pollute wood turtle habitats are also continuing to threaten populations. Arguably, some human development may actually benefit wood turtle populations. The creation of sandy gravel areas close to water, such as boat launches, railway and road embankments, and gravel pits, may become favored nesting areas. However, turtles attracted to these nesting sites may be subject to increased automobile mortality and illegal collection.T urtle nests may also be subject to increased predation in human-altered habitats. (Micah
O. Remley and Judith M. Rhymer, |
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