Turtles of the Santa Fe River

Gerald R. Johnston, Ph.D.Santa Fe College

What is the Santa Fe River Turtle Project?Cooperative effort by scientists and studentsStudy and promote conservation of native turtlesSanta Fe River drainage

Goals of the SFRTP1.Describe the Santa Fe River turtle assemblage

species compositionrelative abundance of speciesdistribution of each species

2.Test hypotheses → factors affecting patterns of distribution3.Assess health of populations4.Establish long-term monitoring program5.Public education6.Long-term persistence of entire turtle assemblage

Study Sites

T

T

T,S

T,S

T,S

T

T T

T

T = trapping S = snorkeling

Trapping

Snorkeling

Measuring

Marking

Preliminary Summary1.10 native species

67% of Florida’s freshwater species2.2 Florida Species of Special Concern

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)Suwannee Cooter (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis)

3.Uneven distribution throughout river4.Detailed description of River Rise assemblage

250 turtles / km640 kg / km

5.Generally healthy populations6.Several threats

Suwannee Cooter(Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis)

Species of Special Concern (FFWCC)Abundant: River Rise – Ginnie SpringsHerbivoreRiverineSexual dimorphism

Florida Red-Bellied Turtle(Pseudemys nelsoni)

Florida Cooter(Pseudemys floridana)

RareCarnivore → Herbivore

RareHerbivore

Suwannee Cooter Look-alikes

Yellow-Bellied Slider(Trachemys scripta scripta)

Common2nd most abundant basking turtleOmnivoreSexual dimorphismUnique population: habitat & geographic location

Yellow-Bellied Slider(T. s. scripta)

native

Red-Eared Slider(T. s. elegans)

non-native

Hybrid(scripta x elegans)

genetic pollution

Loggerhead Musk Turtle(Sternotherus minor)

Common Musk Turtle(Sternotherus odoratus)

Striped Mud Turtle(Kinosternon baurii)

AbundantDurophagous

RareOmnivore

RareOmnivore

Florida Softshell(Apalone ferox)

RareCarnivoreSexual dimorphism

Bush hook

Florida Snapping Turtle(Chelydra serpentina)

Absent - locally abundantOmnivore

Alligator Snapping Turtle(Macrochelys temminckii)

Species of Special Concern (FFWCC)Rare – commonOmnivoreUnique

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0-49

50-9

9

100-

149

150-

199

200-

249

250-

299

300-

349

350-

399

400-

449

450-

499

500-

549

550-

599

Curved Carapace Length (mm)

# In

divi

dual

s

Juvenile Male Female

Population Size Structure in O’Leno State Park

What is next?1.Continued intensive sampling

Rum Island – Ginnie SpringsCamp KulaquaRiver Rise Preserve State Park

2.Basking survey: Suwannee Cooter3.Trapping survey: Alligator Snapping Turtle4.Radiotelemetry: 2 snapping turtle species5.New Florida harvest regulations?!

Florida Turtle Harvest Update(Proposed Rule)

Ban commercial take or sale of wild freshwater turtlesProhibit collection of imperiled speciesProhibit collection of species the look similar to imperiled speciesProhibit collection of eggsAllow take of 1 fw turtle/day/person from wild for non-commercial useProhibit transport of more than 1 turtle per dayAllow tightly controlled collection by farmers for breeding purposes

April 15 meeting: commissioners consider draft ruleJune meeting: rule (if approved) advertised for final hearingPublic comments any time during process

testify at commission meetingsturtles@MyFWC.com

What can you do?1.Support proposed FFWCC harvest laws2.Be vigilant3.Educate the public4.Participate in research5.Additional ideas

AcknowledgmentsSFC Herpetology Club Rebecca Cox Scott Holznagel Jennifer Johnston Anthony Lau Wes Oehmig Eric Suarez Travis ThomasSteffi Affron (Camp Kulaqua)Ben Atkinson (UF)Kevin Enge (FFWCC)Dale Kendrick (O’Leno/River Rise S.P.)Yurii Kornilev (UF)Kenney Krysko (FLMNH)Joe Mitchell (Mitchell Ecol. Serv.)Paul Moler (FFWCC)Max Nickerson (FLMNH)Dan Pearson (FL DEP)Perran Ross (UF)Morgan Tyrone (O’Leno/River Rise S.P.)Jim Wood (Santa Fe Canoe Outpost)Phil Younts (Camp Kulaqua)