Support our turtles

SHELL LAKE — Whitetails Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited or the Ruffed Grouse Society are nonprofit organizations dedicated to the betterment of our natural resources. You’ve likely heard of them; maybe you’re even a member or have supported them in the past. But if you have a warm spot in your heart for the underdog, you’ve got to like what Turtles for Tomorrow are doing in Wisconsin to protect species like the wood turtle.

As a bit of background, 55 species of amphibians and reptiles, collectively known as herptiles, call Wisconsin home. Of these, 19 are amphibians such as frogs and salamanders while 36 are reptiles, including 21 species of snakes, four lizards and 11 species of turtles.

Reptiles, which have a much larger home range than amphibians, are slow to mature, sometimes requiring many years to reach breeding age. Although they can live much longer than amphibians, this slow maturation means it takes more time to replace adult mortality in their population than other species.

It’s not just in Wisconsin where turtles are having trouble; other parts of the country and world are seeing similar trends. It’s estimated that over 40% of the 300 species of turtles in the world face potential extinction because of a variety of threats, including loss of habitat, disease, over collecting and road mortality. In Wisconsin, reptiles make up 90% threatened and endangered species, and of these, turtles face the most uncertain future.

This is why, years ago, I wasn’t surprised when Greg Kessler, a wildlife biologist for the DNR, called one day and asked if we’d consider having a wood turtle sanctuary established on our property through the efforts of Turtles for Tomorrow. We had discussed wood turtles before and I knew the population was in trouble, but I also knew there were was a remnant population in the area. I couldn’t think of a better use of our land than protecting a vulnerable and imperiled wildlife species, so the decision was an easy one.

Wood turtles are one of the most unique and intelligent of the turtle species. Tests have shown they score high in a maze and other reward-associated tests. They’ve even learned how to feed on earthworms by stomping on the ground or dropping heavily onto it, causing the vibrations earthworms equate to rainfall that entices them to come to the surface where they make a tasty snack.

The species require both aquatic and upland habitats to complete their annual life cycle that unfortunately includes their dependence on roadsides for nesting. Turtles are often hit by cars crossing the roads so attractive to them because of the composition of the roadside gravel that warms in the sun. This period of time, usually in June, is when they’re most vulnerable. Female wood turtles are most likely to be killed on roads since they often cross them when looking for the prime nesting sites. Natural predation of these sites have also increased in recent decades, mainly because of a growing human population which attracts more raccoons and skunks that thrive in a human dominated environment.

While not considered a colony type animal, populations of wood turtles tend to be small and compact in location. Breeding adults can live to be 40 years old in the wild, and in captivity, one reached the ripe old age of 58. A recent study in Michigan showed adult wood turtles don’t reach their best reproductive years until their third or fourth decade of life.

What Kessler proposed was using Turtles for Tomorrow funds, energy and time setting up predator-proof nesting sites on various properties where a known population existed. The year before, he’d collected turtle eggs from our garden where they weren’t protected from predation. I’d seen proof of that in the pieces of turtle eggshells littering the garden among raccoon tracks in the past. After carefully digging up the eggs, he incubated them at home until they hatched in mid-September and then released them near the garden after they hatched.

This effort paid off, but it wasn’t as effective as a protected area for wood turtles nesting without fear of predation for years to come. This is where the work of Bob Hay, retired WDNR herpetologist and current director of the nonprofit Turtles for Tomorrow, comes into play. His interest in what he calls “underdog animals” began years ago as young boy. Now his passion for protecting these animals is still evident.

“The goal of this project is to create and restore nesting sites away from roads to reduce road mortality on adult female wood turtles while boosting nesting success,” said Hay.“Nesting sites have been created or restored over the last 10 years and we may construct additional sites.”

Funding for the work comes from several sources, including utility companies and from citizen donations. The DNR has contributed labor for some sites and the National Forest Service has funded some of the work and equipment for sites on their properties.

The nesting sites are made up of gravel with the consistency of a traditional gravel road shoulder, which turtles seem to be drawn to. After the gravel has been put on the site, a solar-powered electric fence is placed around it with a space under the bottom wire high enough for a wood turtle to move under but not for a predator such as a raccoon. The top wire, the only part that is electrified, is about 20 inches off the ground and isn’t lethal to predators attempting to crawl over it but is very effective in convincing them there’s better places to look for dinner.

Turtles for Tomorrow — and the “underdogs” they represent — won’t ever raise the funds whitetails, pheasants or ducks do, but through their work, our outdoor Wisconsin is a better place for visitors and for those of us fortunate enough to call it home.