November 2002 Pennsylvania Amphibian and … 2002 Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptiles: ... (basic biology) 2. ... November 2002 HERP CURRICULUM WORKSHOP APPLICATION

November 2002

Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptiles:

A CURRICULUM GUIDE SAMPLER Here is a ‘taste’ of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission s newest curriculum available to Pennsylvania educators. Included in this sampler is the table of contents of the entire curriculum, samples of 4 lessons (one from each of the units) and other important resource information. Educators will only be able to obtain a copy of the complete curriculum through a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission training workshop. A workshop schedule is posted on our web site, www.fish.state.pa.us. Click on Education from the PFBC home page. Complete the enclose application and return it to the Commission, you will be added to a mailing list for future workshops. What is the Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles Curriculum guide? It is a multi-disciplinary curriculum guide designed for classroom educators, K-12. The module is divided into four units:

1. Awareness (basic biology) 2. Habitat 3. Identification (includes information on adaptations) 4. Responsible Human Actions

The curriculum is designed to assist Pennsylvania educators in teaching concepts from the standards in the Ecology and Environment and Science and Technology subject areas. Lessons were designed, developed and tested by classroom educators. What is included in the Curriculum? The Curriculum includes lessons and background information support materials such as fact sheets, worksheets and lists of resources available from the PFBC. The training workshop is designed to provide background information on Pennsylvania’s amphibians and reptiles, as well as some experience with the lessons in the curriculum. The PFBC is an approved provider for Act 48-Hours from the PA Department of Education.

November 2002 HERP CURRICULUM WORKSHOP APPLICATION Name of Educator

Address

City State Zip

Daytime Phone #

FAX #

e-mail

County

School District

Name of Institution

Grade(s) Taught

K-4

5-7

8-10

11-12

Subject(s) Taught

Please list your experience teaching about PA’s amphibians and/or reptiles. Include such information as the number of class periods each year, on average spent teaching about amphibians & reptiles, years teaching this subject, other related activities. Use a separate sheet, if needed

_____________________________________________________________________ Please mail or fax to:

PA Amphibian and Reptile Curriculum PA Fish and Boat Commission

PO Box 67000 Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000

Fax 717-705-7831

PennsylvaniaA M P H I B I A N S & R E P T I L E S

A Curriculum GuideOne of the fourCarnegie Museumsof Pittsburgh

Copyright © 2001, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. All rights reserved.

Project DirectorsCarl Richardson, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat CommissionTheresa Gay Rohall, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Project CoordinatorsLaurel Garlicki, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat CommissionTammy Colt, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

ContributorsTheresa Knaebel, Pat McShea, Ron Nordstrom, Tom Pearson, and Paula Peters

Layout and DesignMark Jackson and Stephanie LaFrankie, Jackson Graphics

EditorsCatherine MarshallEllen Censky, Ph.D., scientific editor, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

PennsylvaniaA M P H I B I A N S & R E P T I L E S

A Curriculum Guide

This project was fundedby the Pennsylvania Wild

Resource Conservation Fund

A cooperative project of thePennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Powdermill

Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural HistoryOne of the fourCarnegie Museumsof Pittsburgh

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ACTIVITIES..............................................................viiPREFACE........................................................................................................ixTRIBUTE TO DR. M. GRAHAM NETTING.....................................................xiHOORAY FOR HERPETOLOGISTS..............................................................xiiiFORMAT OF THE ACTIVITIES.......................................................................xv

AWARENESSThough Pennsylvania’s amphibians and reptiles are an intriguing and diverse group,they are seldom encountered and largely misunderstood. With awareness comes anunderstanding and appreciation for these animals.

What Do You Know About “Herps”...................................................................3What Do You Know About “Herps” I Quiz.............................................7What Do You Know About “Herps” II Quiz.............................................11

“Herp” Words.......................................................................................15How to Create a Cinquain.......................................................................19

“Herp” Prints.............................................................................................21Puzzles................................................................................................23

Puzzles Template.............................................................................27Snakes: Myth vs. Facts Puzzle.................................................................30Turtles: Myth vs. Facts Puzzle..................................................................34Frogs vs. Toads Puzzle.............................................................................38Salamanders vs. Lizards Puzzle..................................................................42

Looking for Differences................................................................................45Looking for Differences Data Sheet.........................................................49

Getting in Touch with “Herps”.........................................................................51Getting in Touch with “Herps” Task Cards.............................................57Getting in Touch with “Herps” Station Cards.............................................59Getting in Touch with “Herps” Worksheet.............................................65

A Tadpole’s Tale.....................................................................................69Temperature Gymnastics..........................................................................75Body Work...................................................................................................79

Are Your Bones Like a Frog’s?.................................................................83Are Your Insides Like a Frog’s?...............................................................85Are Your Bones Like a Snake’s?................................................................87Are Your Insides Like a Snake’s?..............................................................89

Slide, Slither, Slink.....................................................................................99Snake Skeleton..................................................................................102

The Adaptation Advantage.......................................................................103The Adaptation Advantage Data Sheet....................................................107

“HERP” HAPPENINGSCroaky Crooners......................................................................................109

HABITATStudents explore a variety of Pennsylvania habitats populated by amphibians andreptiles. The importance of healthy habitats, the availability of resources, and theecological role of amphibians and reptiles are stressed.

Oh “Herps!”...............................................................................................113Snakey Sojourn..........................................................................................117Isn’t That Special?......................................................................................121

Isn’t That Special? Identity Cards........................................................125Snakey Snack Specialists.............................................................................131

Snakey Snack Specialists Worksheet I......................................................133Snakey Snack Specialists Worksheet II...................................................135

Contents

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesContents

ivPennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles

Contents

What Every “Herp” Needs............................................................................139What Every “Herp” Needs Data Sheet.....................................................141

“Herp” Sweet Home....................................................................................143Key to Pennsylvania Habitats...................................................................147Pennsylvania Habitat Flow Chart.............................................................149“Herp” Sweet Home Habitat Clue Cards.................................................153

“Herp” Habitat Haggle...............................................................................169“Herp” Habitat Haggle Cards..............................................................173

Home on the Range.................................................................................225Home on the Range Worksheet I...........................................................229Home on the Range Worksheet II..........................................................231

Park It Here!...............................................................................................233Pennsylvania State Forests, Parks, & Game Lands Map............................235Park It Here Clue Cards.........................................................................237

Carry On!...............................................................................................245Carrying Capacity Student Activity Page................................................247Population Growth Curve.......................................................................249

Before the Well Runs Dry..............................................................................253Before the Well Runs Dry Data Sheet....................................................257Before the Well Runs Dry “Herp” ID Tags.............................................259

“HERP” HAPPENINGSSandstone and Salamanders..................................................................261Swamp Rattlers...................................................................................263

IDENTIFICATIONFrom field guides and replicas to live field specimens, students observe Pennsylvania’samphibians and reptiles and discover the uniqueness of each species.

Who Am I?................................................................................................267Simple Key to Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles................................271

What’sss My Name?.................................................................................273Drawn to Scale............................................................................................277

Snake Outlines....................................................................................279Beauty Is Only Skin Deep............................................................................283

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep Worksheet...................................................285Turtles: What’s Their Cover?........................................................................287

Turtles: What’s Their Cover? Worksheet.................................................291Turtle Skeleton....................................................................................293How a Turtle Takes Cover.......................................................................295

Key in to “Herps”.........................................................................................297Key in to “Herps” Worksheet...............................................................303Key Words........................................................................................305

Class Field Guide.........................................................................................307Class Field Guide Worksheet...............................................................309Sketch of Species...............................................................................311Simple Key to Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles..............................313

Replica Round Up...................................................................................315Replica Round Up Data Sheet................................................................317Key Words.........................................................................................319

Herpetology Field Trip.................................................................................321Field Trip Data Worksheet....................................................................325Distinguishing Characteristics Worksheet...........................................326Keywords...................................................................................327Habitat Assessment Worksheet..........................................................329

vPennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles

Contents

“HERP” HAPPENINGSLeave No Stone Unturned............................................................................331

RESPONSIBLE HUMAN ACTIONSHuman disturbances to the environment have resulted in a loss of habitats and adecrease in amphibian and reptile numbers. With an understanding of theseanimals and their ecological role, students will gain the knowledge and skillsnecessary to make informed, responsible decisions regarding these unique creaturesand their environment.

Froggy Swamp...........................................................................................335Map of Riverdale.................................................................................339Froggy Swamp Information Sheet.....................................................341

March Migration Madness............................................................................343March Migration Madness Rules.........................................................347March Migration Madness Game Cards.................................................349March Migration Madness Gameboard..............................................357

See Spots Run...........................................................................................359See Spots Run Game Cards...................................................................363

Picture This.............................................................................................365Know Your Code.......................................................................................369

Know Your Code Worksheet................................................................373Decisions, Decisions.................................................................................375

“Herp” Dilemma Cards.......................................................................379Bog Turtle Hurdles.......................................................................................383

Bog Turtle Hurdles Playing Field..........................................................387

“HERP” HAPPENINGSA Tiny Turtle in Danger of Disappearing..............................................389What’s So Important About Museums and Specimens?...........................391

APPENDICESI. Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles and Their Habitats....................395II. Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles by County.............................405III. Amphibians and Reptiles on the Pennsylvania Endangered Species List....419IV. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Regulations Regarding

Amphibians and Reptiles......................................................................421V. Educational Resource Catalog from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat

Commission.................................................................................423VI. Activities by Subject..........................................................................425VII. Activities by Grade............................................................................427VIII. Activities by Topic...............................................................................429IX. Activity Content and Related Ecology and Environment Standards........431

GLOSSARY..............................................................................................435

Hooray for herpetologists,the people who all studyturtles, snakes and lizards,and puppies that are muddy.

Hooray for salamandersbreathing through their skin,and humble old box turtles,whose head and legs tuck in.

Three cheers for great green garter snakes,spring peepers all in chorus,for stinkpot turtles, wood ones too,out crawling in our forests.

All hail the mighty hellbender,his bite will never pain ya.All hail the skinks,coal and five-lined,lizards in Pennsylvania.

Applause to herpetologists,and may their tribe increase.Learn through their striferespect for life,so all may live in peace.

by Mark Jackson

Hooray for Herpetologists

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesHooray for Herpetologists xiii

Format of the Activities

SummaryA concise description of what theactivity entails.

Objectives Lists the skills and knowledge thatstudents will achieve by participating inthe activity.

Materials Lists the supplies that are needed todo the activity. In many cases, there ismore than one option listed, and, whennecessary, there is a list of resources forobtaining certain materials. In some activities, optional materialsare listed; these are not necessary butwill enhance the lesson. If there is adata sheet or diagram that is needed forthe activity, it is also listed under materi-als, giving a title and page number. Anypages that need to be photocopied arefound at the end of the lesson.

Background There is extensive scientific back-ground information included with eachactivity. Some material is repeated inmore than one lesson so that the teacherhas each activity’s information at his orher fingertips. It may be necessary toexplain some of this background to thestudents prior to performing the activity,but in most cases the information hasbeen included for the teacher’s benefitand understanding. Note that in the background certainwords are in boldface type and othersare italicized. A boldface word is a

(See explanation of sidebarinformation on p. xvi)

• GRADE LEVELS:

• SUBJECT AREAS:

• DURATION:

• SETTING:

• SKILLS:

• STUDENTVOCABULARY:

• CHARTING THECOURSE:

• “HERP” HAPPENINGS:

An attempt has been made to createtitles that are appealing to both studentand teacher. If an activity has beenbased on an activity from anothercurriculum guide, the original activityand guide are acknowledged under themain title.

vocabulary word that students should beable to define by the end of the lesson.An italicized word is often from scien-tific jargon and the teacher may need tounderstand the word to complete thelesson. Both boldface vocabulary wordsand italicized words and their definitionscan be found in the glossary at the backof the activity guide, beginning onpage 435.

Preparation Some activities include a preparationsection. Here the teacher will find adescription of any involved set up thatmust be done prior to the activity.Sometimes a suggestion for classroomdiscussion as a preview to the lesson isalso included.

Procedure The procedure is presented innumbered steps. Some activities aredivided into separate parts which maybe done on their own. Some activitiesalso have optional alternatives describedin the procedure section.

Conclusions A short statement that summarizeswhat the students should have learnedby doing the activity.

Assessments Options for evaluating studentperformance are listed. Most activitieshave more than one assessment option.

Extensions Opportunities for further investiga-tion and learning are listed in theextension section. Many includeresearch and reading on the topic, ahands-on field experience, or a creativewriting experience.

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesFormat of the Activities xv

xviPennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles

Format of the Activities

Tadpole Option Many activities offer a TadpoleOption for grade levels that are lowerthan those suggested in the sidebar.This simplified version of the activityintroduces the given concepts toyounger students.

Resources All references used to create theactivity and develop the backgroundinformation are included underresources. Teachers may want toreview some references for furtherinformation. Resources may includerelated or similar activities fromother teacher’s guides.

Notes A space has been provided for theteacher to make notes that pertain tothe activity.

Sidebar Information The gray sidebar providesinformation the teacher needs toknow at a glance before choosing theactivity. The icon at the top repre-sents the section of the book inwhich the activity is found.

Grade Level This curriculum guide has

been developed for grades Kthrough 12. However, not all ofthose grade levels pertain to eachlesson plan. The appropriategrade levels are stated in thissection, but the teacher may beable to adjust an activity for alower or higher grade level.Grade levels were assignedaccording to the skills used bystudents while doing the activity.

Subject Areas Lists disciplines to which theactivity applies. Due to thesubject matter, environmental

studies and science pertain to mostlessons. In addition, an attempthas been made to develop interdis-ciplinary activities that may includeart, language arts, math, physicalsciences, physical education, andsocial studies.

DurationEstimates the time it will

take to do the activity. Durationis given by the number of sessions.A session is approximately 30 – 40minutes. The duration includesthe time it will take to introducethe activity and provide necessarybackground information to thestudents.

Setting Suggest the most appropriatesetting for the activity. Sometimes more than one option islisted. Most activities could beadapted to different settings.Both indoor and outdoor activitieshave been included in the guide.

Skills Lists the skills and thinkingprocesses students will employwhile participating in the activity.

VocabularyLists the vocabulary words

that students will be able todefine after completing the activity.All vocabulary words are definedin the glossary beginning on page435. In addition, the vocabularywords are found in bold withinthe background of the activity.

Charting the Course A list of other activities in theguide that are directly related tothe activity. A teacher coulddevelop a unit using an activitywith those listed in its Chartingthe Course section.

“Herp” Happenings For some activities, a list of

“Herp” Happenings is alsoincluded. These one or two pagereadings are designed to bephotocopied and given to studentsas additional reading material.Each “Herp”Happening has beenwritten in language easily under-stood by children in grades Kthrough 12, and should be bothenjoyable and informative tothe student.

51Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles

Awareness • Getting in Touch with “Herps”

Getting in Touch with “Herps”

• GRADE LEVELS:4 – 8

• SUBJECT AREAS:Environmental Science,Language Arts, Reading,Science

• DURATION:1 – 2 sessions

• SETTING:Classroom

• SKILLS:Analyzing, classifying,collaborating, comparing,comprehending,cooperating, interpretingcharts and graphs,demonstrating, followingdirections, generalizing,interpreting, observing,reading, reasoning,visualizing

• VOCABULARY:Adaptation, amphibian,ectotherm, endotherm,metamorphosis, reptile,scute, tympanum

• CHARTING THECOURSE:“Herp” Words; Body Work;Puzzles; Looking forDifferences; Class Field Guide;“Herp” Field Trip; ReplicaRound Up; What Do YouKnow About “Herps?”;“Herp” Prints; A Tadpole’s Tale

• “HERP” HAPPENINGS:What’s So Important AboutMuseums and Specimens?;Croaky Crooners

SummaryWork stations, each focusing on anorgan or system, provide studentswith a chance to compare and con-trast adaptations of amphibians andreptiles. In some cases, commonmaterials demonstrate or representthese organs.

ObjectivesStudents will• compare and contrast the adaptations

and characteristics of amphibians andreptiles.

• demonstrate how to use these differentadaptations to classify animals asamphibians or reptiles.

MaterialsOne copy of each task card from pages57–58; plastic wrap; vegetable oil; indexcards; clay (modeling clay, homemadeclay, Play-doh, or silly putty); seeds(watermelon, sunflower, pumpkin, orsimilar large, flat seeds); rubber gloves,preferably the heavy, textured ones usedfor handling hazardous materials, onepair; cotton gloves (or any gloves thatare not waterproof), enough for one pergroup; a large pan (a dishpan workswell) full of water; two plastic margarinetubs; tapioca; sand; grapes or smallmushrooms; tuning fork; plastic wrap;empty coffee can; small plastic beads;rubber band; cymbal or metal lid froma garbage can or large pot; mallet;temperature cards; skeleton cards; “herp”development cards; Getting in Touch with“Herps” Worksheet (page 65), one perstudent. Optional: models or samples ofamphibian and reptile skeletons.

Background Although amphibians and reptilesappear very similar, looking closer attheir anatomy reveals differences among

Adapted from “Hands-On Herps,” Ranger Rick’s NatureScope: Let’s Hear It for Herps! (Washington, D.C.:National Wildlife Federation, 1987). Adapted with permission of the McGraw–Hill Companies.

them. These different adaptations arean important aid to the classification ofamphibians and reptiles. All reptiles have skin that is coveredwith scales; their skin is dry to thetouch. Their thick, scaly skin protectsthem not only from injury, but fromdesiccation. This ability to conservewater has allowed the reptiles to inhabita variety of habitats including deserts.On the contrary, the skin of amphibiansis scaleless and smooth, often slipperyor even slimy to the touch. (Amphib-ians secrete mucous through their skin;this makes some of them very slimy. Agood example is the aptly named slimysalamander.) Of course, not all amphib-ians have very smooth, slimy skin; toadsand newts, for example, have dry,somewhat bumpy skin. Unlike reptileskin, this thin, scaleless skin is permeableto water. While nearly all adult amphib-ians can live on land, most species arestill found near a body of water or in adamp or humid environment (i.e., forest,rain forest). There are toads that live inthe desert; they accomplish this byretaining urea in their bodies, creating anosmotic gradient that forces waterretention. Some terrestrial frogs have aspecialized skin patch in the pelvicregion for absorbing water. This area isrich in blood vessels that lie close to thesurface. In addition, many tree frogshave fatty secretions that they wipe overtheir skin surface; these fats prevent theevaporation of water. Other terrestrialfrogs, as well as some salamanders, canretreat from dry conditions by forming acocoon of their own shed skin. The toes of amphibians and reptilesare another distinguishing feature.Reptiles have clawed toes (with theexception, of course, of the snakes andlegless lizards) while amphibian toes areclawless, covered by the same smoothskin that covers the rest of the body.



The eggs of amphibians and theeggs of reptiles differ in manyrespects. Some amphibians deposittheir eggs in water; others depositeggs on land but select very moistareas (such as under rocks or inrotting logs). Certain frogs placetheir eggs on vegetation that over-hangs water (where the larvae, uponhatching, fall into the water), whileothers actually carry the eggs withthem on their backs or in a special-ized pouch, moving them to water atthe time of hatching. None ofPennsylvania’s frogs exhibit thesebehaviors; all our frogs deposit eggsin a body of water. We do, however,have salamanders that lay their eggson land; these belong to the familyPlethodontidae (pleth-oh-DAHN-tih-dee). Note that not allPlethodontids have terrestrial eggs.Many species in this family depositeggs in flowing water. Close observation of amphibianeggs makes clear their dependenceon water — they are covered only bya gelatinous material that allowsmovement of water into and out ofthe egg. In many cases, water isnecessary for mating to occur, becausemany amphibians have externalfertilization. The gelatinous coatingon the eggs allows sperm to passinto the eggs and join the ovum.Upon hatching, most amphibiansmust remain in water until theyundergo metamorphosis, or changefrom larvae to adult form. (Seefigures for station #3, page 59.)Most amphibians emerge from theegg as a gilled aquatic larva that willdevelop into an adult with no gills.There are, of course, exceptions tothis. Some will retain gills throughoutlife — the mudpuppy is one examplefound right here in Pennsylvania.Others will complete development

while still inside the egg, such as theterrestrial frogs mentioned earlier,and salamanders in the genusPlethodon (a common genus inPennsylvania). In these cases, theembryos lose their gills beforehatching so that they are bornlooking like miniature adults. The majority of amphibianshatch as tadpoles with long flat tailsand no legs. Very young tadpoleshave external gills for respiration. Inthe case of frogs, a small mouth isfound on the ventral side of thetadpole’s head; it is adapted forscraping algae and other vegetationfrom rocks and similar surfaces. Asthe tadpole matures, the external gillsare replaced by lungs. The hind legsappear, followed by the forelimbs. Infrogs, the tail is slowly reabsorbed,the intestines shorten, and the mouthis altered to be used for predation.The changes that occur and thelength of time necessary for meta-morphosis vary among species. The reptiles, on the other hand,have internal fertilization and eggswith a tough “shell” which may beleathery (as is the case with snakeeggs) or hard and calcified (tortoiseeggs). This outer covering slowsevaporation and eliminates the needfor an aquatic or damp environment.All reptiles, even the aquatic turtles,deposit their eggs on land, and theyoung hatch fully developed, minia-ture likenesses of the adults. Theonly exceptions are those snakes andlizards that bear live young. All reptiles breathe with lungs,including those that have adapted tolife in aquatic environments. Thesnakes actually use just one lung; theother lung is still present but is smalland nonfunctional. This is due totheir unique anatomy. Amphibiansbegin their lives with gills, but some

lose these gills before leaving theegg. With the exception of sala-manders in the family Proteidae(pro-TEE-ih-dee) (i.e., mudpuppies)and certain Ambystomatids(AM-biss-toh-MAT-ids) known asaxolotls (AK-soh-lot-l), the gills arelost when the adult stage is reached.At this point, many amphibians —frogs, toads, and some salamanders— will breathe with lungs. However,the lungless salamanders, known asthe family Plethodontidae, have nolungs, as their name implies. Theyrespire by cutaneous respiration; inother words, they absorb oxygenthrough their thin skin. Their skin ismoist and permeable, containingmany blood vessels. In the case of thehellbender, an aquatic salamander andPennsylvania’s largest amphibian, theadult can absorb oxygen through itsskin — in fact the many folds in itsskin provide more surface area forabsorption. If oxygen levels are lowin its aquatic habitat, the hellbendercan rise to the surface and breathe airusing its lungs. Both amphibians and reptiles arevertebrates with similar skeletons. Infact, amphibians and reptiles aresome of the oldest living vertebrates.Some reptiles have evolved remark-able skeletal adaptations. Snakeshave not only lost their limbs; mosthave also lost their pelvic and shoul-der girdles. In addition, the lowerjaw is not fused in front so that itcan stretch to swallow prey. Theshell of the turtle is actually part ofthe skeletal system; the backbone andribs are fused to the inner shell, andbony plates underlie the scuteswhich compose the outer part of theshell. (See “Body Work.”) All amphibians and reptiles areectotherms, or what is commonlyknown as “cold-blooded.” This



means that they do not maintain aconstant internal body temperaturelike endotherms (birds and mam-mals). Instead, their body tempera-ture fluctuates with the temperatureof their environment. This does notmean that their temperature is exactlythe same as the temperature outside.The body temperature may be slightlyraised by the metabolic processesgoing on within, and amphibiansand reptiles have ways of adjustingbody temperature. Lying on a rockin the morning sun is one way toraise temperature, and finding adamp shady place is a way to staycool on a hot day. Some lizards willeven elevate body temperature to fightan invading organism, much likehumans and other mammals will geta fever. (Endotherms get fevers inresponse to infection because theincreased body temperature is ofteneffective in killing the invadingorganism. The body temperature israised by increased heat production,such as shivering, and by increasedheat conservation, such as vasocon-striction, which results in the skinand extremities feeling cold.) Use of the senses also differsamong the amphibians and reptiles.Some can hear just as humans do —by detecting airborne sound waves.Others rely on feeling vibrations inthe ground. Pennsylvania lizardshave ears that can detect soundwaves; in fact their external earopenings are an important charac-teristic for identification. However,the lizards also can detect vibrationsmoving from the ground throughtheir forelegs and into a small bonein their inner ear. Snakes and turtles depend onfeeling vibrations because their senseof hearing is not well developed. Ofall amphibians and reptiles, frogs may

be the most dependent upon hearing.They use calls for a variety of reasons;the most important is to attractmates. Most frogs and toads havelarge external tympanums, oreardrums, located just behind theeyes. Like the human eardrum, thetympanum vibrates when soundwaves reach it.

Preparation1. The materials needed for thislesson are generally not found in thescience classroom and may requireextra effort to obtain. Below, listedby station, are hints for obtainingand storing the required materials.

SKIN: The “reptile skin” made ofclay and seeds can be assembled ona piece of heavy cardboard. Afterthe activity, cover tightly with plasticwrap to protect it, so that it can bestored for reuse. Play-doh is likelyto crumble when it dries, but ifmodeling clay is used it shouldharden and remain intact. To avoidconfusion, instead of an ordinaryrubber glove, use the type designedfor handling hazardous materials.Students may think the smoothrubber glove represents an amphib-ian skin. The heavier, texturedgloves may be available in yourchemistry department, or purchasethem in a store that sells men’s workclothes. They will be located withthe work gloves.

EGGS: You may find pearl tapiocain your grocery store or at a spe-cialty foods store. If you cannot findit, regular tapioca works fine. Youwill not need much for the activity,so store what remains of the drytapioca in an air-tight container; itwill keep indefinitely. When settingup the activity, allow plenty of timefor the tapioca to soak and absorb

the water. It is easiest to soak it theday before and let it set overnight.For the reptile eggs, if you wish touse a non-food item that you canreuse year after year, try Ping-Pongballs or large bath beads.

DEVELOPMENT: You may wantto enhance this station with plasticmounts that show the life cycle of anamphibian and that of a reptile.Such models are available fromCarolina Biological (800-334-5551.)

HEARING: The tuning fork andcymbal may be available from yourschool’s music department. If not,tuning forks are inexpensive and areavailable at music stores. Musicstores also carry cymbals, but theyare rather expensive. If you cannotborrow one, you may want toimprovise with a metal garbage canlid or something similar. The beadsmust be lightweight, such as plastic.Some dry tapioca also works well.

BONES: Skeleton models areavailable in science catalogues.

2. Make copies of the Getting inTouch with “Herps” Worksheet andof the task and station cards. Youmay want to enlarge the task andstation cards for your students. Youmay also want to laminate thesecards to protect them.

3. Set up stations around the room.Make sure there is enough room ateach station for a small group towork together. You will find that theset up does take some time, espe-cially the first time you do theactivity. The set up is describedbelow.

Station 1 - SkinMaterials: A piece of plastic wrapglued to an index card and coatedwith vegetable oil (labeled A); claywith seeds stuck in it in an overlapping

54

manner to resemble the skin of areptile (labeled B); rubber gloves;cotton gloves; a large pan of water.

Directions: Touch A and B. Whichdo you think is like the skin of anamphibian? Which do you think islike the skin of a reptile? Put a rubber glove on one handand a cotton glove on the otherhand. Immerse both hands in thewater. Which hand got wet? Whichglove represents the skin of anamphibian, and which represents theskin of a reptile? Which is morelikely to lose water through its skin ifit is in a dry environment — anamphibian or a reptile? Whichwould need to live near water?

Station 2 - EggsMaterials: A plastic tub containingone tablespoon of tapioca (large orpearl tapioca works best) that hasbeen soaked in a quarter cup of veryhot water (container A); a secondtub containing sand with grapes orsmall mushrooms resting on top(container B). Alternative: Use Jellofor amphibian eggs and Ping-Pongballs for reptile eggs.

Directions: Touch the contents ofcontainer A and container B. Whichrepresents the eggs of an amphibianand which represents the eggs of areptile? What would happen if weemptied the containers and let thecontents sit out overnight? Whichanimals — amphibians or reptiles —deposit their eggs on dry land?Which eggs are dependent on water?

Station 3 - DevelopmentMaterials: Cards showing thedevelopmental stages of amphibians(A) and reptiles (B), photocopiedfrom page 59.

Directions: Study cards A and B.Which hatchlings — amphibian orreptile — are more likely to need awet or moist environment? Whichhatchlings are more likely to live in ahabitat that differs from that of theirparents?

Station 4 - RespirationMaterials: Cards showing the snakelung (A) and a gilled salamander(B), photocopied from page 60.

Directions: Study the cards. Howdo reptiles breathe? How doamphibians breathe? Do all sala-manders have gills? Do youngamphibians breathe the same waytheir parents do? Besides gettingoxygen through their lungs or gills,how else might amphibians absorboxygen?

Station 5 - FeetMaterials: Cards showing the footof a lizard (A) and that of a salamander(B), photocopied from page 61.

Directions: Study the cards. Whatis the difference between the two feetpictured? Which belongs to anamphibian and which belongs to areptile? How might reptiles usethese special feet? How might anamphibian use its special feet?

Station 6 - HearingMaterials: Tuning fork, plasticwrap, empty coffee can, small plasticbeads, rubber band, a cymbal ormetal lid from a garbage can or largepot, a mallet. Stretch the plastic wrap tightlyover the open end of the coffee canand hold it in place with the rubberband. Place beads (or dry tapioca ifyou don’t have beads) on top of theplastic.

Directions: Strike the tuning forkagainst the table and hold it up toyour ear. What do you hear? Strikethe tuning fork again, but this timehold the base of it against your chin.What do you hear? What do youfeel? Which time were you “hear-ing” like a snake? Hold the cymbal about one footabove the coffee can and strike thecymbal with the mallet, creating aloud noise. Observe the beads whileyou do this. Why do the beadsmove? Which amphibians andreptiles have a tympanum (oreardrum) that works the same wayas the plastic?

Station 7 - Body TemperatureMaterials: Cards showing tempera-ture charts labeled A and B, photo-copied from page 62.

Directions: Study the cards. Whichcard illustrates the likely body tem-perature of an amphibian or reptile?Name an animal that would have abody temperature illustrated by chartA. Name an animal that would havea body temperature illustrated bychart B.

Station 8 - BonesMaterials: Cards showing skeletonsof amphibians and reptiles, photo-copied from page 63; models orsamples of amphibian and reptileskeletons (optional).

Directions: Study the skeletons.Do amphibians and reptiles haveendo-skeletons or exoskeletons? Are“herps” vertebrates or invertebrates?

Procedure1. Discuss the adaptations ofamphibians and reptiles with yourclass. Stress that, although there aresimilarities between the two groups,

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesAwareness • Getting in Touch with “Herps”

55

©2001 PFBC, CMNHAll rights reserved.

they are two separate classes ofanimals. Emphasize the differencesbetween amphibians and reptiles andhow these different adaptations relateto habitat, life cycle, and diet.

2. Divide students into groups of twoor three. Give each student a copyof the Getting in Touch with“Herps” Worksheet. Groups visiteach station, spending three or fourminutes reading and following thedirections on the card. They shouldwrite their answers to the questionsat each station in the appropriateplace on the worksheet.

Conclusions Amphibians and reptiles areectothermic vertebrates. Despitethese similarities, there are distinctdifferences between these two classesof animals.

Assessments1. Evaluate completed worksheets.

2. Give each student a piece ofpaper that has a line dividing it intotwo columns. Have them write“amphibians” at the top of onecolumn and “reptiles” at the top ofthe other. Then have students listthe adaptations of each in theappropriate column.

Extensions1. Place frog eggs or tadpoles in anaquarium in your classroom. Havestudents observe their development.Ask questions that require studentsto recall what they learned in thislesson about amphibian life cycles.

2. Explain that there are some“herps” that give birth to live younginstead of laying eggs. Define anddiscuss the terms oviparous, vivipa-rous, and ovoviviparous. Havestudents research amphibian and

reptile species that do not lay eggs.

3. Discuss endotherms and ecto-therms and their temperature charts.Is an ectotherm’s body temperatureequal to the air temperature? Whywould it differ from the air tempera-ture? (They can modify theirbehavior, or sometimes even changecolor, to increase or decrease bodytemperature.) Does an endotherm’sbody temperature always remainconstant? Why would it fluctuate?(An endotherm could have a fever,or become hypothermic. Also, somemammals hibernate, dropping theirtemperature far below normal.)

Tadpole Option1. Discuss the similarities anddifferences between amphibians andreptiles. Name some animals thatare amphibians and some that arereptiles. Hold up pictures or toyssuch as Beanie Babies that representamphibians or reptiles. Ask thestudents, “Is this an amphibian orreptile?” Place amphibians in onepile and reptiles in another.

2. Set up the stations as described,but do not put out the task cards.You may want to eliminate stationsthat seem too complex in concept,such as the hearing or body tem-perature stations.

3. In small groups, have the stu-dents visit the stations. Have thempick which “skin” is like anamphibian’s and which is like areptile’s. Do the same for eggs,development, respiration, feet, andbones. It may help to have a pictureof an amphibian and a reptile at eachstation.

ResourcesGans, Carl; A. d’A. Bellairs; andThomas S. Parsons. Biology of theReptilia, Vol. 1, Morphology.. NewYork: Academic Press, 1969.

Guyton, Arthur C. Textbook ofMedical Physiology. Philadelphia,Pa.: W.B. Saunders Company,1986.

Halliday, Tim R., and Kraig Adler.The Encyclopedia of Reptiles andAmphibians. New York: Facts onFile, 1986.

Pritchard, Peter C. H. Living Turtlesof the World. Jersey City, N.J.:T.F.H. Publications, 1967.

Ranger Rick’s NatureScope: Let’sHear It for Herps! Washington,D.C.: National Wildlife Federation,1987.

Shaffer, Larry L. PennsylvaniaAmphibians and Reptiles. Harris-burg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Fish Com-mission, 1991.

▼ Notes


57

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

STATION 1 – SKIN

Touch A and B. Which do you think is like the

skin of an amphibian? Which do you think is like

the skin of a reptile?

Put a rubber glove on one hand and a cotton glove

on the other hand. Immerse both hands in the

water. Which hand got wet? Which glove repre-

sents the skin of an amphibian, and which repre-

sents the skin of a reptile? Which is more likely

to lose water through its skin if it is in a dry envi-

ronment — an amphibian or a reptile? Which

would need to live near water?

STATION 2 – EGGS

Touch the contents of container A and container

B. Which represents the eggs of an amphibian

and which represents the eggs of a reptile? What

would happen if we emptied the containers and

let the contents sit out overnight? Which animals

— amphibians or reptiles — deposit their eggs

on dry land? Which eggs are dependent on water?

STATION 3 – DEVELOPMENT

Study cards A and B. Which hatchlings —

amphibian or reptile — are more likely to need a

wet or moist environment? Which hatchlings are

more likely to live in a habitat that differs from

that of their parents?

STATION 4 – RESPIRATION

Study the cards. How do reptiles breathe? How

do amphibians breathe? Do all salamanders have

gills? Do young amphibians breathe the same way

their parents do? Besides getting oxygen through

their lungs or gills, how else might amphibians

absorb oxygen?

✄

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesG E T T I N G I N T O U C H W I T H “ H E R P S ” T A S K C A R D




Getting in Touch with “Herps” Task Cards


58

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Getting in Touch with “Herps” Task Cards

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

STATION 5 – FEET

Study the cards. What is the difference between

the two feet pictured? Which belongs to an am-

phibian and which belongs to a reptile? How

might reptiles use these special feet? How might

an amphibian use its special feet?

STATION 6 – HEARING

Strike the tuning fork against the table and hold

it up to your ear. What do you hear? Strike the

tuning fork again, but this time hold the base of

it against your chin. What do you hear? What do

you feel? Which time were you “hearing” like a

snake?

Hold the cymbal about one foot above the coffee

can and strike the cymbal with the mallet, creat-

ing a loud noise. Observe the beads while you do

this. What happened and why? Which herps have

a tympanum (or eardrum) that works the same

way as the plastic?

STATION 7 – BODY TEMPERATURE

Study the cards. Which card illustrates the body

temperature of an amphibian or reptile? Which

illustrates the body temperature of an animal that

is not an amphibian or reptile? Name an animal

that would have a body temperature illustrated

by Chart A. Name an animal that would have a

body temperature illustrated by Chart B.

STATION 8 – BONES

Study the skeletons. Do herps have endoskeletons

or exoskeletons? Are herps vertebrates or inver-

tebrates?

✄








Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles • GETTING IN TOUCH WITH “HERPS”

✄

✄

STATION 3 – DEVELOPMENT – A


STATION 3 – DEVELOPMENT – B

60

✄

✄


STATION 4 – RESPIRATION – A


STATION 4 – RESPIRATION – B




✄

✄


STATION 5 – FEET – A


STATION 5 – FEET – B

62

✄

✄


STATION 7 – TEMPERATURE – A


STATION 7 – TEMPERATURE – B

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

TE

MP

ER

AT

UR

E (

FA

HR

EN

HE

IT)

A V E R A G E B O D Y T E M P E R A T U R E

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

TE

MP

ER

AT

UR

E (

FA

HR

EN

HE

IT)

100

50

0

A V E R A G E B O D Y T E M P E R A T U R E

100

50

0


63

✄

✄Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles • GETTING IN TOUCH WITH “HERPS”

STATION 8 – BONES – A


STATION 8 – BONES – B


65

STATION 1 — SKIN

Which do you think is like the skin of an amphibian?

Which do you think is like the skin of a reptile?

Which hand got wet?

Which glove represents the skin of an amphibian?

Which glove represents the skin of a reptile?

Which is more likely to lose water through its skin?

Which would need to live near water?

STATION 2 — EGGS

Which represents the eggs of an amphibian?

Which represents the eggs of a reptile?

What would happen if we emptied the containers and let the contents sit out overnight?

Which animals, amphibians or reptiles, deposit their eggs on dry land?

Which eggs are dependent on water?

STATION 3 — DEVELOPMENT

Which hatchlings, amphibian or reptile, are more likely to need a wet or moist environment?

Which hatchlings are more likely to live in a habitat that differs from that of their parents?

STATION 4 — RESPIRATION

How do reptiles breathe?

How do amphibians breathe?

Do all salamanders have gills?

Do young amphibians breathe the same way as their parents do?

Besides getting oxygen through their lungs or gills, how else might amphibians absorb oxygen?

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Getting in Touch with “Herps” Worksheet

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Worksheet continues on other side




STATION 5 — FEET

What is the difference between the two feet pictured?

Which belongs to an amphibian and which belongs to a reptile?

How might reptiles use these special feet?

How might an amphibian use its special feet?

STATION 6 — HEARING

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork to your ear?

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork to your chin?

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork against your chin?

Which time were you “hearing” like a snake?

What happened and why?

Which “herps” have a tympanum (or eardrum) that works the same way as the plastic?

STATION 7 — BODY TEMPERATURE

Which card illustrates the likely body temperature of an amphibian or reptile?

Which illustrates the body temperature of an animal that is not an amphibian or reptile?

Name an animal that would have a body temperature illustrated by chart A.

Name an animal that would have a body temperature illustrated by chart B.

STATION 8 — BONES

Do “herps” have endoskeletons or exoskeletons?

Are “herps” vertebrates or invertebrates?

67

Getting in Touch with “Herps” Worksheet

STATION 1 — SKIN

Which do you think is like the skin of an amphibian? A. The oil-coated plastic.

Which do you think is like the skin of a reptile? B. The seeds representing scales.

Which hand got wet? The one wearing the cotton glove.

Which glove represents the skin of an amphibian? The cotton glove.

Which glove represents the skin of a reptile? The rubber glove.

Which is more likely to lose water through its skin? Amphibian.

Which would need to live near water? Amphibian.

STATION 2 — EGGS

Which represents the eggs of an amphibian? A. The tapioca soaked in water.

Which represents the eggs of a reptile? B. The mushrooms, grapes, or bath beads in sand.

What would happen if we emptied the containers and let the contents sit out overnight? The “amphibian eggs,” or

tapioca, would dry up. The “reptile eggs” would remain the same.

Which animals, amphibians or reptiles, deposit their eggs on dry land? Reptiles.

Which eggs are dependent on water? Amphibians.

STATION 3 — DEVELOPMENT

Which hatchlings, amphibian or reptile, are more likely to need a wet or moist environment? Amphibians.

Which hatchlings are more likely to live in a habitat that differs from that of their parents? Amphibians, because the

young usually live in water and the adults on land.

STATION 4 — RESPIRATION

How do reptiles breathe? With lungs.

How do amphibians breathe? With gills (according to the picture on the card.)

Do all salamanders have gills? No. Most have gills only when in the larval stage.

Do young amphibians breathe the same way as their parents do? No, not in most cases.

Besides getting oxygen through their lungs or gills, how else might amphibians absorb oxygen? Through their skin.

STATION 5 — FEET

What is the difference between the two feet pictured? The foot pictured on card A has claws.

Which belongs to an amphibian and which belongs to a reptile? A is the reptile, B is the amphibian.

How might reptiles use these special feet? For digging, for climbing trees and rocks.

How might an amphibian use its special feet? For swimming, for climbing trees and plants if the toes are like

suction cups.

T E A C H E R ’ S A N S W E R S H E E T ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○




STATION 6 — HEARING

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork to your ear? A musical note.

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork to your chin? The same musical note, but louder.

What do you hear when you hold the tuning fork against your chin? The jawbone feels the vibration of the

tuning fork.

Which time were you “hearing” like a snake? When the tuning fork was held against the jaw.

What happened and why? Sound waves travelled through the air from the cymbal causing the plastic to vibrate,

moving the beads.

Which “herps” have a tympanum (or eardrum) that works the same way as the plastic? Frogs have a large

tympanum that is important for hearing the calls of other frogs.

STATION 7 — BODY TEMPERATURE

Which card illustrates the likely body temperature of an amphibian or reptile? B, the one that varies.

Which illustrates the body temperature of an animal that is not an amphibian or reptile? A, the one that stays the

same throughout the year could only be an endotherm.

Name an animal that would have a body temperature illustrated by chart A. A bird or mammal.

Name an animal that would have a body temperature illustrated by chart B. An amphibian, reptile, fish, or invertebrate.

STATION 8 — BONES

Do “herps” have endoskeletons or exoskeletons? Endoskeletons.

Are “herps” vertebrates or invertebrates? Vertebrates.


Habitat • “Herp” Sweet Home

“Herp” Sweet Home


• SUBJECT AREAS:Environmental Studies,Science

• DURATION:2 sessions


• SKILLS:Classifying, comparing,concluding, describing,developing vocabulary,following directions,interpreting, reading,reasoning

• VOCABULARY:Biome, bog, deciduousforest, dichotomous key,habitat, marsh, swamp,vernal pool, wetland, wetmeadow

• CHARTING THECOURSE:Class Field Guide;Herpetology Field Trip;“Herp” Habitat Haggle;Park It Here!; Before theWell Runs Dry; Carry On!;What Every “Herp” Needs;Froggy Swamp; What DoYou Know About “Herps?”;Oh “Herps!”; Isn’t ThatSpecial?

• “HERP” HAPPENINGS:A Tiny Turtle in Danger ofDisappearing; Leave NoStone Unturned; Sandstoneand Salamanders; SwampRattlers

SummaryStudents use a dichotomous key anda flow chart to classify commonPennsylvania habitats. Each of thesehabitats is a potential home to manyspecies of amphibians and reptiles.

ObjectivesStudents in grades 6 through 8 will• define habitat.• use a flow chart and a dichotomous

key.• name and describe three different

Pennsylvania habitats.

Students in grades 9 through 12 will• analyze the usefulness of dichotomous

keys to scientific investigation.• describe several habitats, listing the

typical vegetation and other definingproperties.

• given a habitat type, name two amphib-ians or reptiles that live in that habitat.

MaterialsCopies of Key to Pennsylvania Habitats(page 147); copies of PennsylvaniaHabitat Flow Charts (pages 149–151);copies of habitat cards (pages 153–167),one per student.

Background Dichotomous keys are used inscience to classify many types of things,usually living organisms. The user isoffered two choices at each step, and bychoosing between the two the user is ledto an answer or to another choice.These keys can seem daunting at firstdue to their minute detail. Introducingstudents to a simple key allows them tobecome accustomed to the conceptwithout being overwhelmed. A flowchart offering two choices at each stepis essentially the same as a key, but thelayout of the flow chart can helpchildren visualize how a dichotomouskey works.

Adapted from “Water, Water Everywhere,” in Living in Water, Edition 1 (Baltimore, Md.: National Aquarium, 1987).

The entire state of Pennsylvania ispart of a temperate deciduous forestbiome, a biome characterized by mid-range temperatures and high levels ofprecipitation. The final stage of ecologi-cal succession in Pennsylvania is adeciduous forest dominated by largehardwood trees such as oak, maple, andbeech. Before the European settlementof this state, about 98 percent of it wascovered by forest. Today, only small,inaccessible patches of old growth forestremain, notably in Cook Forest StatePark, Susquehannock State Forest, andBald Eagle State Forest. Second andthird growth forests now cover approxi-mately 60 percent of the state. A majorpart of Pennsylvania has been clearedfor agriculture, the number one industryin the Commonwealth. As the popula-tion grows, more and more land isbecoming residential, and wildlife andhumans must share backyard habitats.In rural areas, and even in some suburbs,small stands of second growth trees dotthe landscape. These woodlots arehome to many species, including severalamphibians and reptiles. The forest was not the only habitatfound in Pennsylvania before colonialtimes. There were naturally occurringmeadows or prairies (the result of pondor lake succession), and the mountainousregions of the state contained rockyoutcrops that still exist today. Aquatichabitats abounded, including over50,000 miles of flowing water. (In fact,Alaska is the only place in the UnitedStates that has more miles of rivers andstreams than Pennsylvania.) Unfortunately,some of this flowing water has beendegraded by human activities like farming,industry, and mining. Abandoned minedrainage is the primary pollutant,impacting more than 3,000 miles ofPennsylvania streams. It may come as asurprise that there were far fewer lakesand ponds in Pennsylvania prior to the



Stream Orders

1

2

3

4

2

1

1

3

2

2

1

1

immigration of Europeans, but mostof the lakes and ponds we have todayare artificial. Of course, Lake Erieexisted, holding a wealth of speciesbefore an influx of sewage andagricultural fertilizer led to it beingdeclared biologically dead in the1960s. (Today, Lake Erie is recover-ing and is once again home to manyspecies, although some, such as theblue pike, are now extinct.) Exclud-ing Lake Erie, Pennsylvania’s twolargest lakes — Raystown Lake andLake Wallenpaupack — are bothartificially created. In addition,Pennsylvania once had an abundanceof wetlands, including swamps,bogs, marshes, wet meadows, andvernal pools. Today, 56 percent ofthose wetlands have been eradicatedby human activities like filling andflooding, and we are still losingwetlands each year. The dichotomous key and flowchart used in this activity distinguishbetween different habitats by usingdistinctive characteristics like the

amount of water or the type ofvegetation. Also, since some habitatsare created by human activity,human impact and the proximity ofhomes and other buildings are alsoconsidered. Terrestrial habitats are thosewhich are not covered with water fora significant amount of time, al-though they may be covered withwater immediately after a rainfall orwhen snow melts. These includeforests, both old growth and secondgrowth; woodlots, which are smallwooded areas surrounded by other,usually human habitats; rockyoutcrops that have occurred natu-rally in mountainous areas or havebeen exposed by human activities;meadows, or open areas of land thathave been cleared of trees by fire orother natural occurrences; farmlandthat may be cultivated for crops orcleared for pasture; and backyards,those areas immediately surroundingresidences. Pennsylvania has a diversity of

aquatic habitats that are covered bywater for all or part of the year. Thiswater can be flowing, as in a river orstream. Rivers and streams areformed by the runoff of precipitationor by water coming up from under-ground. When groundwater reachesthe surface, it forms a spring.Streams and rivers are classified byorder. A first-order stream has notributaries; it is formed directly fromrunoff or a spring at its headwaters.When two first-order streams join,they form a second-order stream. Itremains a second-order stream, evenwhen other first-order streamsconverge with it. However, when itmeets with another second-orderstream, it becomes a third-orderstream. The designation “river” issomewhat arbitrary and is basedprimarily on the size of the body ofwater. However, most flowing bodiesof water with an order of five orabove are considered rivers. It isvery rare for a river to reach thetenth order, but the Mississippi Riveris twelfth order. (See diagram.) Size is the only real differencebetween lakes and ponds, and thesetwo habitats share many characteristics.They have open water and are notdominated by emergent vegetation,although plants may grow around theperiphery. Algae, duckweed, and liliesmay, however, appear throughout alake or pond. Lakes and ponds intemperate climates will also have atemperature gradient. In general,the surface water will be coldest inwinter and in fact may be frozen,while the water at the bottom will be4° Celsius. (Water is densest at 4°Celsius, and therefore this heavierwater will sink to the bottom.) Inwarm months, the top layer will bewarmest due to the sun, the bottomlayer will be coldest, and the area in



the middle will have a thermocline ormarked decrease in temperaturefrom top to bottom. At some pointin both spring and autumn, all thewater in the lake or pond reaches thesame temperature and, therefore, thesame density. At this point, thewater mixes freely. There are five habitat types inPennsylvania that are described aswetlands. A wetland is an area thatis underwater for at least part of theyear and contains hydric soils (soilsthat are saturated with water andshow signs of anaerobic conditions)and hydrophytic plants (plants thatgrow in water). The type of vegeta-tion is important to distinguishingamong different wetland habitats.The predominant vegetation in a bogis moss; bogs tend to have low(acidic) pH and are usually found athigh elevations. Swamps are charac-terized by trees that grow in standingwater; species found in Pennsylvaniaswamps include willows, red maples,and sycamores. A marsh has grassesand shrubs growing in it. A wetmeadow resembles a marsh, but thiswetland looks like a meadow orpasture. Upon close inspection, itbecomes obvious that the ground isvery wet, at times with a few inchesof water on the surface, and the soilis saturated. Another wetland typefound in Pennsylvania is a vernalpool. These tiny pools, often foundin forests and woodlots, are formedin winter or spring. In most years,the water evaporates or is absorbedinto the soil by late summer. For a list of Pennsylvania am-phibians and reptiles and the habitatsin which they live, see Appendix I.

Preparation Copy the Key to PennsylvaniaHabitats and the Pennsylvania

Habitat Flow Chart. (You can copyone per student or allow two or threestudents to share.) Copy and cutout the Habitat Cards. You can gluethese to poster board or index cardsand laminate them for future use.Gather pictures, drawings, orphotographs of the habitats used inthis activity. These can be glued tothe back of the appropriate habitatcard. Good sources include naturemagazines and posters. The follow-ing habitats are included in thisactivity: forest; vernal pool; marsh;woodlot; pond; wet meadow; rockyoutcrop; lake; bog; meadow;brook; swamp; farmland; spring;stream; backyard; river.

Procedure1. Lead a class discussion. Havestudents define “habitat.” Ask themto name some habitats. What aresome major differences in the habitatsthey have named?

2. Pass out one Habitat Card toeach student. (You may wish to haveyounger students color the cards firstso they are more familiar with thehabitat.) Distribute the PennsylvaniaHabitat Flow Chart and the Key toPennsylvania Habitats. Explain tostudents how to use a dichotomouskey.

3. Have each student use the flowchart to name the habitat on his orher assigned Habitat Card. Oncethey have done this, they can use thedichotomous key to name the samehabitat.

4. Have students trade cards, thenhave them try using the key to nametheir new habitats. If they have troubleusing the key, they can return to theflow chart to find the answer.

Conclusions A dichotomous key works in thesame manner as a flow chart, using aseries of choices to arrive at a finalcategory. These tools can be used toclassify a variety of things, includinghabitats. Even a small state likePennsylvania has a diversity ofhabitats.

Assessments1. Have students define “habitat,”then ask them to name some of thecategories of habitats found inPennsylvania (aquatic, terrestrial,flowing water, standing water,wetlands).

2. Have each student list threePennsylvania habitats and describeeach one. Have them name one ortwo amphibians or reptiles that livein each habitat. For older students,have them describe the habitat indetail, including the vegetation foundthere.

3. Watch a nature video and havestudents identify the habitats they see.

4. For older students, discuss theuse of dichotomous keys. For whatother categories might dichotomouskeys be useful? (They are frequentlyused for identifying plant and animalspecies.) Why would a key be moreaccurate than a field guide? Arethere any drawbacks to usingdichotomous keys?

Extensions1. Take students outside and havethem name the habitats in the areaaround the school, or have themmake a list of all the habitats they seeon their way to school.

2. Have students search for newspa-per articles about Pennsylvaniahabitats being degraded or saved.



How many spotted salamanders

does it take to screw in a light bulb?

None. They’re nocturnal.

HERP JOKE


How might human activities affect“herp” species in these areas?

3. Have students (alone or ingroups) create their own dichoto-mous key for any category theychoose.

Tadpole Option Give each student a habitat cardto color. Have them draw in the“herps” mentioned in the descrip-tion. You may want to enlarge thecards for this activity.

Resources“Acid Mine Drainage/AbandonedMine Land Fact Sheet.” Pottsville,Pa: Eastern Pennsylvania Coalitionfor Abandoned Mine Reclamation,1997.

Bier, Charles. “Patterns of Biogeogra-phy in Watersheds.” AlleghenyWatershed Network Notes.November 1997.

Cole, Gerald A. Textbook of Limnol-ogy. Prospect Heights, Ill.: WavelandPress, 1983.

Endangered and Threatened Speciesof Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pa.:Wild Resource Conservation Fund,1995.

Facts about Wetlands 5. Washing-ton, D.C.: U. S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, February 1995.

Miller, G. Tyler. Living in theEnvironment. Belmont, Calif.:Wadsworth Publishing, 1994.

Shaffer, Larry L. PennsylvaniaAmphibians and Reptiles. Harris-burg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Fish Com-mission, 1991.

“Water, Water, Everywhere.” InLiving in Water, Edition 1. Balti-more, Md.: National Aquarium,1987.

The Wonders of Wetlands. Bozeman,Mont.: The Watercourse, 1995.



○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Key to Pennsylvania Habitats

1. a. Terrestrial habitat...............................................................................................b. Aquatic habitat...................................................................................................

2. a. Covered densely with trees.................................................................................b. Open land (trees sparse or absent)....................................................................

3. a. Large tract of land with few or no buildings present..........................................b. Small area surrounded by developed or agricultural land...................................

4. a. Rocky, with little or no vegetation, usually in a mountainous region...................b. Covered with vegetation.....................................................................................

5. a. Human impact minimal......................................................................................b. Area impacted by humans...................................................................................

6. a. Cultivated land or pasture...................................................................................b. Part of a residential area.....................................................................................

7. a. Standing water...................................................................................................b. Flowing water.....................................................................................................

8. a. Open water.........................................................................................................b. Water with emergent vegetation..........................................................................

9. a. Very large body of standing water.......................................................................b. Smaller body of standing water.............................................................................

10. a. Temporary, arising in late winter or spring.........................................................b. Permanent, not seasonal......................................................................................

11. a. With trees...........................................................................................................b. Without trees......................................................................................................

12. a. With mosses and bushes.....................................................................................b. With grasses and shrubs.....................................................................................

13. a. Open water more prominent than grasses..........................................................b. Grasses more prominent than open water...........................................................

14. a. Small body of flowing water, low order...............................................................b. Large body of flowing water, high order.............................................................

15. a. Arising from underground...................................................................................b. Formed by springs or runoff...............................................................................

27

34

ForestWoodlot

Rocky Outcrop5

Meadow6

FarmlandBackyard

814

911

Lake10

Vernal PoolPond

Swamp12

Bog13

MarshWet Meadow

15River

SpringStream

149

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesHabitat • “Herp” Sweet Home

Covered densely with trees

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Pennsylvania Habitat Flow Chart

Large tract of land with few orno buildings present

Small area surrounded bydeveloped or agricultural land

FOREST

WOODLOT

ROCKY OUTCROP

MEADOW

Open land(trees sparse or absent)

Rocky, little vegetation, inmountainous region

Human impact minimal

Covered with vegetation

Area impacted by humans

Cultivated landor pasture

Part of aresidential area

FARMLAND

BACKYARD

151

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesHabitat • “Herp” Sweet Home

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Pennsylvania Habitat Flow Chart

Standing water

AQUATIC HABITAT

Flowing water

Small body of flowingwater, low order

Larger body of flowingwater, high order

Formed by runoff and/or springs

Arising from underground, first order

Water withemergent vegetation

Without trees

With trees

With grassesand shrubs

With mossesand bushes

Grasses moreprominent thanopen water

Open water moreprominent thangrasses

Open water

Smaller body of standing water

Very large body of standing water

Permanent,not seasonal

Temporary, arising inlate winter or spring

VERNALPOOL

POND

LAKE

MARSH

WETMEADOW

BOG

SWAMP

STREAM

SPRING

RIVER



A Jefferson salamander spends most of its time deep in the soil, while a wood turtle walks along theleaf-covered surface. Small mammals hide among the many trees, often falling prey to copperheadsand milk snakes.

Under small rocks and damp leaf litter, slimy and redback salamanders abound. A tiny smooth earthsnake competes with them for earthworms, oblivious to the nearby cars and homes.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○“Herp” Sweet Home Habitat Clue Cards

✄

Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles“ H E R P ” S W E E T H O M E H A B I T A T C L U E C A R D S




High on an Appalachian ridge, a timber rattlesnake rests on the protruding rocks. The bluish tail of ayoung coal skink is barely visible between two stones.

As the sun begins to climb over the horizon, tall grasses and wildflowers hide a black rat snake as itswallows a mouse. A Fowler’s toad, after a long night of foraging, buries itself in the dirt.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





Basking in the sun, a northern fence lizard rests on an old fencepost. Weeds grow thick along the field’sedge, where a rough green snake hunts for grasshoppers.

A ringneck snake hides in the compost pile. Under the woodpile, a box turtle escapes the afternoon heat.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





The spring sun warms the water left behind from melting snow. Wood frog tadpoles fill the water. Soonthey will be gone, becoming adults before the water disappears.

An adult red-spotted newt has returned to the water to breed. A common snapping turtle movesthrough the open water, feeding its voracious appetite on a variety of tadpoles and fish.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





The croak of a pickerel frog can be heard coming from somewhere among the cattails and bulrushes.A brightly colored ribbon snake suns itself along the water’s edge.

Below the deep, open water, a mudpuppy blends in with the muddy bottom. Not even its blood-redgills are evident. Closer to shore, a spiny softshell turtle has buried itself in a sandbar.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





A spongy mat of sphagnum hides young four-toed salamanders, but if you look closely you may seetheir gilled heads peeking out from under the moss. The acidic water does not seem to bother thespotted turtle who seeks refuge here.

A northern leopard frog hops through the grass, its belly wet from the water that seeps up every time itlands. It is unaware of the eastern massasauga that lurks in a clump of grass, waiting for a meal.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





The water gurgles as it sweeps over rocks, rocks that hide many northern dusky salamanders. The crayfishalso hide under these rocks, trying to escape the queen snake who searches for a crustacean meal.

The trees rise right out of the water. One has fallen, and on this rotting log a wood turtle is warmed bythe sun’s rays. A green frog swims near the water’s edge, searching for aquatic insects to eat.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄





The water is cold as it bubbles from the earth. Laden with dissolved limestone, it tumbles over newlyhatched northern spring salamanders as it makes its way downhill.

The brown water seems to move slowly here, and it is a long way to the other bank where a northernwater snake has draped itself on an overhanging branch. A midland painted turtle crawls along the soft,sandy bottom, hiding in the vegetation on the water’s edge.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○


✄




Identification • Who Am I?

Who Am I?


• SUBJECT AREAS:Communication, Environ-mental Studies, Science

• DURATION:1 session


• SKILLS:Analyzing, classifying,cooperating, formulatingquestions, listening

• VOCABULARY:Amphibian, ectotherm,metamorphosis, reptile,scutes, tadpole, tympanum

• CHARTING THECOURSE:Looking for Differences;Getting in Touch with“Herps”; Puzzles; What’sssMy Name?; “Herp” HabitatHaggle; Replica Round Up;What Do You Know About“Herps?”; “Herp” Prints;Key in to “Herps”

• “HERP” HAPPENINGS:What’s So Important AboutMuseums and Specimens?

Summary In this game, students determinethe identity of an amphibian or reptilewhose picture is taped to their backs.By asking each other questions todiscover their “herp” identities,students learn the characteristics ofPennsylvania amphibians and reptiles.

ObjectivesStudents will• identify six characteristics of Pennsyl-

vania amphibians and reptiles.• distinguish the Pennsylvania amphibians

and reptiles from one another.

MaterialsIdentity tags each with a name andpicture of a Pennsylvania amphibian orreptile species, one per student; tape orsafety pins; field guides; PennsylvaniaFish and Boat Commission amphibianand reptile posters; several copies ofSimple Key to Pennsylvania Amphibiansand Reptiles (page 271).

Background Amphibians and reptiles are amongthe oldest living vertebrates found onEarth today. They have many uniquecharacteristics that distinguish themfrom other vertebrates and from eachother. Both amphibians and reptiles areectothermic or “cold-blooded.” Thismeans that an amphibian’s or reptile’sbody temperature, rather than beingmaintained internally, can fluctuate withthe temperature of its surroundings. Tohelp them regulate their body tempera-tures, amphibians and reptiles must utilizetheir environment: they commonly seekshelter from extreme heat and cold byburrowing deep underground orsunbathing on rocks. Most amphibians have smooth,moist skin. Amphibian eggs, whichhave a gelatinous protective coating butlack a hard shell, must be deposited in a

moist or wet environment to preventdesiccation. Many amphibians undergoa transformation after hatching from theegg. Referred to as metamorphosis, thetransformation occurs as the amphibianprogresses from the larval stage to thejuvenile stage. All Pennsylvania frogs andtoads go through metamorphosis.However, not all salamanders go througha metamorphic change — some emergefrom the egg without gills and are ableto live on land immediately. In Pennsyl-vania, the genus Plethodon has this typeof life cycle. Frogs and toads of Penn-sylvania begin their lives as eggs andthen hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles, thelarval form of frogs, have gills and a tailand live in water. Tadpoles slowlytransform into adults by growing legs,losing their tails, and undergoingrearrangement of some internal organs.Some amphibians are unique in thatthey have external ear openings ortympanums. On some frogs and toads,such as bullfrogs and northern greenfrogs, these are easily visible as thecircular disks located on the headsomewhere behind the eyes. Pennsylvania’s amphibians can easilybe grouped into orders, simply bydividing them into two groups — thosewith tails and those without. Thesalamanders, order Caudata, have tails.The frogs, order Salientia, do notpossess tails as adults. The salamanderscan be further grouped into those thatspend their entire lives in water(mudpuppies and hellbenders,) the largemole salamanders (marbled, spotted,and Jefferson,) Pennsylvania’s only newt(red-spotted,) and the lungless sala-manders. The frogs can be groupedarbitrarily into frogs and toads, with thetoads represented by the true toads andspadefoots. The remaining frogs can begrouped into tree frogs and true frogs. The skin of reptiles is dry and scaled.When reptiles hatch out of their shells



they look like miniature adults.Their eggs are covered by a tough,leathery shell that allows them to bedeposited in a dry environment. Infact, all reptiles, including aquaticturtles, lay their eggs on dry land.Reptiles do not go through meta-morphosis; from birth they breathethrough lungs, making them mainlyland dwellers. Reptiles have skinwith scales; this is easily seen insnakes and lizards. The skin ofturtles is also scaly. In addition,turtles have a shell covered withscutes — horny plates that in someturtles are shed as the shell grows;they overlie the bony layer of theshell. (Only aquatic turtles shedscutes, tortoises and terrapins donot.) Pennsylvania’s reptile species canbe grouped into turtles, lizards, andsnakes. The turtles, order Testudines,have a hard or semi-hard shell. Thelizards, order Squamata, suborderLacertilia, have four limbs withclawed toes, external ear openings,and movable eyelids. Though thereare exceptions to this, all Pennsylva-nia lizards fit this description. Thesnakes, order Squamata, suborderSerpentes, are legless and lackeyelids and external ear openings. The turtles can be furthergrouped into snapping turtles, muskand mud turtles, softshell turtles, andthe largest group, the pond, marsh,and box turtles. Pennsylvania’slizards include one iguanid lizard(northern fence lizard) and threespecies of skinks. Most Pennsylvaniasnakes are in the family Colubridae,with the exception of the threevenomous species of the familyViperidae. At first glance, amphibians andreptiles seem to be very similar intheir characteristics. After studying

individual species within each group,however, one can see that distin-guishing between the differentanimals is not so difficult.

Preparation1. Help your students becomefamiliar with Pennsylvania’s amphib-ians and reptiles. Hang posters andpictures of “herps” around the roomand provide students with books andmagazine articles about them. Appen-dix V lists references and postersavailable through the PennsylvaniaFish and Boat Commission. You canalso show slides of amphibians andreptiles and lead a classroom discus-sion about them. Appendix V listsaudiovisual materials.

2. To ensure your students haveenough background information todo this activity, you may want to doone or two activities from theawareness section first. Puzzles andGetting in Touch with Herps providea good background for the differ-ences between amphibians andreptiles. What’sss My Name? isanother good activity to do beforethis one.

3. Make an identity tag for eachstudent, with the name and pictureof an amphibian or reptile speciesfound in Pennsylvania. A convenientsource for pictures is the Pennsylva-nia Fish and Boat Commissionamphibian and reptile poster set.Cut out the individual pictures andwrite the species name on thepicture. Laminate them beforehanding them out to students. Besure to have a second set of posterson hand to hang around the room,and also display copies of the SimpleKey to Pennsylvania Amphibians andReptiles. Your students will needboth of these to complete the activity.

Procedure1. Explain to the students they willeach be given the identity of anamphibian or reptile that is found inPennsylvania. They will not knowtheir assigned identities, but insteadmust discover their identities byasking a series of yes or no ques-tions. Point out the resourcesaround the room (field guides,posters, Simple Key to PennsylvaniaAmphibians and Reptiles, etc.)Explain that the resources are thereto help them discover their identities.

2. Explain the rules to the classbefore handing out the identity tags.You may want to write the rules onthe board so they are not forgottenduring the activity.a. Ask only questions that can be

answered with a yes or no.b. Ask only one question of each

person. When a person hasanswered your question, you mayanswer one for them, then moveon to another person to ask yournext question.

c. Each student must ask at leastfive questions.

3. Attach an identity tag to the backof each student. Do not let them seethe identity of the amphibian orreptile. Stress to the class that theyshould not reveal other classmates’identities. Have everyone stand andmove to an area where they will havespace to move around. Allow themto begin asking questions. Note: Youmay find that this activity is difficultto do with a big class. If you have alarge class size, divide your class intotwo groups. Let each group do theactivity simultaneously but indifferent areas. Be sure to haveenough references and resources forboth groups (i.e., two sets of posters.)



4. When the students have eitherlearned their identity or appear to benonplussed, stop the game and havethem return to their seats. Ask thosethat successfully discovered theiridentity what types of questions theyasked. Was there a logical order totheir questions? Lead the studentsto recognize that beginning with“Am I an amphibian?” followed byquestions such as “Do I have a tail?”leads one to the right answer. Onthe other hand, beginning with “AmI a bullfrog?” tends to lead to anendless line of questions that maynot arrive at the final answer oridentity. This discussion should aidthe students in devising a morestrategic line of questioning.

5. Collect the identity tags andredistribute them. Each studentshould now have a different identitythan before. Remind them to use astrategy for questioning, then havethe class play the game again. Youcan play several rounds so that theypractice the questioning and reason-ing process, and also so that theybecome familiar with more amphib-ian and reptile species.

Conclusions This pattern of providing andrepeating clues will help studentslearn physical characteristics, habi-tats, behaviors, and other interestingfacts about Pennsylvania amphibiansand reptiles.

Assessments1. After practicing, evaluate thekinds of questions the students askeach other and the number ofquestions it takes to arrive at ananswer.

2. Make the statement, “I am a[name a species of amphibian or

reptile].” Have students write downthe series of questions and answers itwould take to identify that species.Collect the papers and grade themfor correctness and efficiency (arriv-ing at the species with the fewestquestions).

3. Have students list five character-istics of the last amphibian or reptilethey were assigned. In writing, havethem explain how those five charac-teristics helped them in the identifi-cation process.

Extensions1. A variation of this activity wouldbe to use Pennsylvania amphibiansand reptiles and their characteristicsto play Hangman. Put a list of severalcharacteristics of both amphibiansand reptiles on a chalkboard or poster.Choose a specific Pennsylvaniaspecies and have the students guesscharacteristics of the animal fromthe list. For each incorrect guess,draw a portion of the animal hangingfrom the gallows. Continue this untilthe correct answer emerges.

2. This activity could also be usedas a review. Give the class cluesabout the identity of a Pennsylvaniaamphibian or reptile. With eachclue, the students write down whatthey know about the animal. Whensomeone knows the answer, he orshe calls it out.

ExampleTeacher says, “I am an animal whohas moist, water permeable skin” or,“who has eggs that must be laid inwater or a damp environment.” Useany general amphibian or reptilecharacteristic.

Student writes, “amphibian.”

Teacher repeats first clue and adds,“I have a vocal sac for calling to

other members of my species.”

Student writes, “frog or toad.”

Teacher repeats first and secondclues and adds, “I am one of thesmaller members of my group and Iclimb trees.”

Student narrows the focus to thefrogs and writes, “small frog.”

Teacher repeats all clues and adds,“In early March, I can be heardmaking loud peeping sounds at night.”

Student may write, “spring peeper.”

Teacher repeats all clues and adds, “Ihave a dark X pattern on my back.”

Student writes, “spring peeper.”

3. Allow students to play the role ofteacher. Let them make up theirown clues of the characteristics ofPennsylvania amphibians and reptilesand ask their classmates whichanimal they are describing.

4. Have the students choose aparticular species of Pennsylvaniaamphibian or reptile and write areport about it, including importantfacts about what the animal eats,what its specific habitat requirementsare, etc.

Tadpole Option For younger students, make surethey understand the differencesbetween amphibians and reptilesbefore beginning. Have a classdiscussion on the different groups,or orders, of amphibians andreptiles. Hold up pictures and ask“Is this an amphibian or reptile?”and such questions as “Is it asalamander or a frog?” Then havethe students play the game, but onlyidentify the order of the assignedamphibian or reptile. They need onlyidentify themselves as salamanders,frogs, turtles, lizards, or snakes.



HERP JOKE

Ernie: My dad was bitten by a milk snake once.

Chris: Oh yeah? What happened?

Ernie: He’s been lactose intolerant ever since!


▼ NotesResourcesHalliday, Tim R., and Kraig Adler.The Encyclopedia of Reptiles andAmphibians. New York: Facts onFile, 1986.

Shaffer, Larry L. PennsylvaniaAmphibians and Reptiles. Harris-burg, Pa: Pennsylvania FishCommission, 1991.

271

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesIdentification • Who Am I?

REPTILE

clawless, scalelessmoist skin

dry skin, scale-coveredmay have clawed feet

short-limbed, has a tail

long-limbed, taillesshindlimbs much longer than forelimbs

has a hard bony shell

lacks shell

has external ear openinghas legs

lacks external ear openinglacks legs

“HERP”

AMPHIBIAN

SALAMANDER

smooth skin, moist or slimy

TURTLE

FROG

rough or wart-covered skinnot wet or slimy

TOAD

LIZARD

SNAKE

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Simple Key to Pennsylvania Amphibians and Reptiles

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesResponsible Human Actions • Bog Turtle Hurdles 383


• SUBJECT AREAS:Environmental Studies,Mathematics, PhysicalEducation, Social Studies,Science

• DURATION:1 – 2 sessions

• SETTING:Outdoors or gymnasium

• SKILLS:Analyzing, applying,computing, discussing,inferring, observing

• VOCABULARY:Endangered species,limiting factors, predator,wetland

• CHARTING THECOURSE:Class Field Guide;Decisions, Decisions;Froggy Swamp; Puzzles;Picture This; Park It Here!;Turtles: What’s TheirCover?; What Every “Herp” Needs

• “HERP” HAPPENINGS:A Tiny Turtle in Danger ofDisappearing; What’s SoImportant About Museumsand Specimens?

SummaryStudents become bog turtles andlimiting factors in a highly activesimulation game.

ObjectivesStudents will• describe the life cycle of bog turtles.• define limiting factors and identify

specific threats to bog turtles.• make inferences about the effects of

threats to bog turtle populations.• make recommendations for ways to

minimize the threats to bog turtles.

MaterialsThin rope or clothesline to mark playingarea (about 500 feet); uncookedmacaroni/rigatoni or beans; identity tagfor each “limiting factor”; bottle caps,poker chips, or checkers for yeartokens; wastebasket or other containerfor “dead turtle zone.” Optional: fourtraffic cones for corners; flag-footballflags or belts for two-thirds of the class.

Background Bog turtles are very small turtles thatlive in the bogs, or wetlands, of Pennsyl-vania and other northeastern states.They range in size from 3 to 4½ inchesand could easily fit in the palm of yourhand. These dark-shelled turtles canmost easily be identified by the large red-orange or yellow blotch behind each eye. Although bog turtles like to sunthemselves on grassy patches in marshymeadows and bogs, they are very secre-tive. The bog turtle may be encounteredbasking on sedge tussocks or movingslowly about under concealing vegeta-tion. When danger threatens, theyburrow rapidly into the mucky bottomof spring runs. Their favorite spots intheir wetland homes tend to be narrow,shallow, slow-moving little streams.

Bog Turtle HurdlesAdapted from “Turtle Hurdles” in Project WILD’s Aquatic Education Activity Guide (Bethesda, Md.: Council forEnvironmental Education ©1987, 1992.) Adapted with permission from Project WILD.

Bog turtles reach sexual maturity infive to seven years. Mating occurs inMay and early June. During June orJuly they lay a single clutch of one to sixflexible-shelled one-inch eggs in a nestthat the female has dug. The hatchlingsemerge in August and September, orthey may over-winter and emerge inthe spring. Bog turtles are active from April tomid-October, a bit longer than someother turtles. They eat tadpoles, slugs,snails, worms, and insects. In turn,predators of the eggs and young bogturtles include herons, foxes, minks, andeven snapping turtles. Recent researchhas confirmed the impact of vole andfield mice predation on bog turtle eggsin the nest. The first turtle to be placed on thePennsylvania List of EndangeredSpecies, the bog turtle is considered therarest of North American turtles.Besides the natural predators that serveto keep the population at a stable level,bog turtles are threatened by humancollectors (bog turtles are highly valuedby turtle collectors in this country andoverseas, and bring a good price inillegal sales) and primarily from humandevelopment of wetland areas. In fact,the main cause for loss, or endanger-ment, of species is habitat destructionand degradation. A large percentage ofthe species on Pennsylvania’s endan-gered and threatened lists rely onwetlands for part or all of their lifecycle. These areas are rapidly beingturned into housing developments andshopping malls, and in the Poconosregion wetlands are mined for peat(decaying sphagnum moss). Wetlandhabitats are being degraded by illegaldumping sites for garbage, unwantedcars and large appliances, and toxicchemicals.Bog turtles must face a myriad of


Responsible Human Actions • Bog Turtle Hurdles

hazards that serve as limitingfactors in the completion of their lifecycle. Limiting factors are factorsthat reduce the population of livingorganisms. Sometimes the limitingfactors are natural and sometimesthey are the result of human inter-vention with natural systems.

Procedure1. Set up the playing field as shownin the diagram (page 387). The“dead turtle” container (wastebas-ket) is to be placed in the mortalityzone.

2. Divide the class into two groups.About two-thirds of the students willrepresent a population of turtles thathatch from one wetland. The otherone-third will be predators or other“threats” to the turtle population.(This activity is designed for a classof 25 to 30 students.)

3. Group 1—Turtles. Give eachstudent a packet of six macaronis orbeans which represent baby turtles.Group 2—Limiting Factors. Dividethis group into two smaller groups,predators and threats. The predatorsare raccoons, herons, field mice,skunks, mink, snakes, snappingturtles. The other threats are humanegg collectors, highway construc-tion, ATVs, mining for peat moss,pollution, dumping, draining foragriculture, development of buildinglots for residences. Give each student a sign to wearthat indicates what kind of limitingfactor he or she represents.

4. Walk the class through theactivity as you explain the playingfield and rules.

5. Review the rules two times tomake sure the students understandtheir roles and the procedures. You

may want to have the class play thegame once at a slow pace (justwalking) to be certain they under-stand the rules. With this type ofgame, it is easy for students to getoverly excited and not focus on thegame’s purpose. If your class is tooenergetic, you may have to limitthem to just walking to avoid chaos.

6. Conduct the activity.

Playing FieldNest Zone (start/finish line): theplace where the eggs are laid andhatch. This is the zone to which thesurviving turtles will return in sixyears. This is also where the babyturtles hatch and begin their journeyin the bog.Bog Zone: the zone where thehatchlings must spend six yearsmoving between the two side zones.This is the zone where the limitingfactors can tag the turtles.Stream Zone and Mud Hole Zone:the two zones that the turtles mustvisit to get the year cards necessaryto “mature” to six years of age (threevisits to each zone). During thetrips between the zones the turtlesare vulnerable to limiting factors.Turtles are safe from limiting factorswhen they are inside either year zone.Vegetation Zones: places where theturtles are safe from limiting factors.

RulesA. Turtles must hatch and spend sixyears in the bog. The time in thebog is simulated by the turtlesrunning between the mud hole zoneand the stream zone, picking up atoken at each zone. Each tokenrepresents one year of successful bogsurvival. After collecting six tokens,turtles return to the nesting area toreproduce.

B. While turtles are maturing in thebog zone, they try to avoid variouslimiting factors. If tagged by a limitingfactor, a turtle stops and gives onemacaroni or bean (representing ababy turtle) to the limiting factor.C. Patches of concealing vegetationin the bog provide safety zones forturtles where limiting factors cannottag them. The teacher may set atime limit for how long a turtle mayrest in the vegetation zone.D. Limiting factors must obey thefollowing rules:• They must use both hands to tag

a turtle. (Option: Turtles maywear flagging that the limitingfactors must pull, like flag football.)

• They cannot tag the same turtletwice in a row.

• They cannot tag turtles that arestopped and paying out a babyturtle (macaroni/bean) to anotherlimiting factor.

• Once they have tagged threeturtles, they must leave the fieldand put their “baby turtles” in the“dead turtle” container.

E. Any turtle that loses all sixmacaronis/beans is dead and mustgo to the Nest Zone and become ashopping mall. If the malls (sittingside by side) eventually block theaccess to the nesting site, theremaining turtles die without repro-ducing and starting the next cycle.F. The activity ends when all turtlesare either dead or have returned tothe nesting site.

Conclusions Both human and natural factorslimit the survival and breedingsuccess of bog turtles. In particular,destruction of wetland habitats hasdecreased the number of bog turtlesto the point of endangering thespecies.


Responsible Human Actions • Bog Turtle Hurdles


Assessments1. After completing the activity,encourage the students to discuss theresults. It is likely that some stu-dents will be disturbed by the highnumber of turtles that died. Tellthem that there are groups activelytrying to stop humans from collect-ing bog turtles (it is illegal) and fromdestroying wetlands. However, it is also important toemphasize that the natural threatsare built into the scheme of things.If all bog turtle eggs survived, theremight well be an overabundance ofthese creatures. Many animalsproduce more young than willsurvive, serving as food for otherspecies as a part of nature’s dynamicbalance.

2. Ask the students to brieflydescribe the life cycle of bog turtles.

3. Summarize the importance of thehigh numbers of turtles that resultfrom the reproduction of twoturtles—six baby turtles. Identifyand discuss the factors that limit theturtles’ survival. Since bog turtlesare threatened with extinction, thethreats to their survival seem to beout of balance. What specificrecommendations would the studentssuggest to increase the successfulreproduction and survival of bogturtles? (By saving wetlands, wesave bog turtles and many otherplants and animals that live there.)

Extensions1. Change the ratio of predators andhazards to turtles (one-third turtlesand two-thirds limiting factors) andreplay the simulation. Describe anddiscuss the differences.

2. Replay the simulation with asmall bog. How does a shrinking

habitat change the number ofsurviving turtles?

3. Add another zone such as a RoadZone between the nesting site andthe bog with “car” limiting factors init. Replay the simulation and seehow many turtles can cross the roadwithout getting flattened. Comparethis version of the game with theresults from the original simulation.

4. Allow a few children to be on thesidelines and “collect” a few turtlesto take to their “homes,” “naturecenter,” or “pet store.” Comparethe results of this version with theoriginal results. The turtles that areremoved from their habitat are lostfrom the wetland forever. Turtlesthat are collected from the wild andkept in captivity can die from stress,poor nutrition, or improper han-dling.

5. Discuss other species that seemto have the odds against them (otherendangered species). List thereasons they are endangered anddiscuss plans that have been devel-oped (by state or federal agencies) toincrease the numbers of thesespecies. Watch the video BogTurtles: Living on the Edge. (Avail-able from the Pennsylvania Fish andBoat Commission; see Appendix V:Education Resource Catalog.)

6. Declare an “Endangered SpeciesDay” (or week) at your school.Have your students work up a playabout local endangered species (likebog turtles) and perform it for theschool. Help other classes learnabout local endangered speciesthrough posters, daily announce-ments, bumper stickers, and t-shirtsmade with a common theme.

ResourcesEndangered and Threatened Speciesof Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pa.:Wild Resource Conservation Fund,1995.

Shaffer, Larry L. PennsylvaniaAmphibians and Reptiles. Harris-burg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Fish andBoat Commission, 1991.

“Turtle Hurdles” in Aquatic ProjectWILD, Bethesda, Md.: Council forEnvironmental Education, 1992. Thecomplete Activity Guide can beobtained by attending a KAREworkshop. For more information,contact the Pennsylvania Fish andBoat Commission at (717) 657-4540.

▼ Notes

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesResponsible Human Actions • Bog Turtle Hurdles 387

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Bog Turtle Hurdles Playing Field

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

NEST ZONE

(start/finish)

BOG ZONE

(limiting factors)

MU

D H

OLE

ZON

E

(year tokens)

STR

EA

M ZO

NE

(year tokens)

VEG

ETA

TION

ZON

E

VEG

ETA

TION

ZON

E

MORTALITY ZONE

(Dead Turtle Container)

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesResponsible Human Actions • A Tiny Turtle in Danger of Disappearing 389

��

��

It’s early April, and you are walking through themarshy bottom of a cow pasture in LancasterCounty, Pennsylvania. You move each foot from one

clump of tall, dry grass to the next, trying to avoidstepping in the muck. As you go to place your foot onanother grassy tussock, you see that it is already occu-pied by a small turtle. You have just enough time to notethat this turtle has a dark brown shell with a few yellowmarkings and, behind each eye, a large orange yellowblotch of color. Then the turtle scurries off the grassand quickly burrows in the mud. You have just met a bog turtle, the rarest turtle inNorth America. Growing to just 3 to 4 inches, it is alsoone of our smallest turtles. If you really did see a bogturtle in early April, you could be fairly certain that it hadjust awakened from winter hibernation, crawled out ofthe deep wet mud that allowed it to escape winter’sfreezing temperatures, and climbed onto a tuft of grassto bask in the warmth of the sun. After gathering somesolar energy, the turtle will probably find some food. Nofinicky eater, it will eat anything from tender plants andripe berries to snails, millipedes, insects, tadpoles, andeven carrion. If it is mature (at least 5 to 7 years old) the bog turtlemay mate during April, May, or June. Some evening inlate June or July, it (if it is a female) will then find agrassy tussock or patch of sphagnum moss in which itwill make a depression. In this nest it will deposit 1–6white, oval, flexible eggs, leaving the nest exposed to thesun. After incubating for 6 to 8 weeks, the young willemerge in August or early September. In the meantime,the adult turtles may estivate in July and August: just asin hibernation, they will burrow in the mud, but in thiscase it is to avoid the hot temperatures of summer. Inmid-October when the air cools, the adults and youngwill begin hibernation. What you may not know about the bog turtle, orMuhlenberg’s turtle, is that it is an endangered species inPennsylvania. In fact, it was the first turtle to be placedon the Pennsylvania List of Endangered Species. Thereare two distinct populations of bog turtles: the northern

“ H E R P ” H A P P E N I N G S ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

population with a range from southern New England toDelaware and Maryland, including Pennsylvania andNew York, and the southern population whose range is asmall patch of the Appalachian Mountains from southernVirginia to northern Georgia. The southern populationis not threatened, but the northern bog turtle populationis declining, especially in Pennsylvania where the turtlewas first found. These turtles are found in the southeast-ern corner of the state, north to the Pocono Mountainsand west to Franklin County. They once lived in threecounties in the northwestern part of Pennsylvania, butthey have not been located there in recent years. There are many reasons for the decline of the bogturtle. Because they are very rare, very small, and souniquely marked, they are prized by reptile collectors,especially in Europe and Asia. Although it is illegal tocapture, keep, sell, or harm bog turtles in Pennsylvania,poachers continue to smuggle them to other states wheretheir sale is permitted. (It is protected in many north-eastern states.) Also, since it is impossible to distinguisha northern bog turtle from a southern bog turtle, theycan be passed off as nonendangered southern bogturtles. More important, the bog turtle is disappearingbecause humans continue to destroy the wetlands inwhich it lives. Muhlenberg’s turtle may not be a finickyeater, but it sure is choosy about where it lives. Not justany old wetland will do; it must be spring-fed, withrelatively shallow water, a soft, muddy bottom, andemergent soil covered with grasses or sphagnum moss.In addition, the area cannot be overshadowed by tallplants because the turtle’s eggs must incubate in a sunnyspot. Unfortunately, this type of wetland is disappearingfaster than others because it is generally small and doesnot have a large expanse of standing water. A lot ofpeople do not even realize that these are wetlands! It iscommon for such small bogs to be drained for develop-ment or farmland, or to be flooded to make a pond.Sometimes, just developing land adjacent to the wetlandcan destroy it; use of water in a new development maylower the groundwater level, causing the wetland todry up. Contributing to the problem is the fact that bogturtles have small clutch sizes, and it’s not uncommonfor some of the eggs to be infertile. These turtles,moreover, do not reach sexual maturity until at least five


390

years of age. Also, because the nest site must be exposedto sunlight, they are vulnerable to predation. Newhousing developments nearby can worsen the problem:they tend to attract opossums, skunks, and raccoons, allof which find turtle eggs to be a quick and easy meal. The northern population of bog turtles has declined50 percent, and there may be only 2 or 3 sites in Penn-sylvania with a good habitat and a viable turtle popula-tion. (Viable means there are enough turtles of the rightage to keep reproducing.) Of 165 bog turtles sitesremaining in the Northeast, only 35 are considered“good” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But thereis good news for the bog turtles: the U.S. Fish and

Pennsylvania Amphibians and ReptilesResponsible Human Actions • A Tiny Turtle in Danger of Disappearing

Wildlife Service has listed this turtle as “threatened” so itwill be protected by federal regulation under the Endan-gered Species Act. This means it will be illegal in anystate to buy, sell, or trade any bog turtle, northern orsouthern. Violators of these regulations could spend upto one year in prison or pay up to $50,000 in fines!There will also be more money generated for bog turtleresearch and habitat protection. Existing habitats maybe improved, and there will be money for conservationeasements (agreements with landowners to protect theturtles and their habitat). Eventually, bog turtles may bereintroduced to suitable habitats, and their numbers mayincrease.

Documents

November 2002 Pennsylvania Amphibian and … 2002 Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptiles: ... (basic biology) 2. ... November 2002 HERP CURRICULUM WORKSHOP APPLICATION