studied Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone spinifera; 55 total, 118 captures) in and adjacent to Blue Creek in Garden County, Nebraska, USA, from 1999 to 2018. The smallest gravid female was 31 cm maximum carapace length. A von Bertalanffy growth model based on female recaptures suggested reproductive maturity by 12 y of age. Longevity likely exceeds 40 y. Females produced one or (usually) two clutches each year (early to mid-June and late June to early July). Mean clutch size was 29.9 (range 16-42) and tended to increase with female size. Mean egg size averaged 25.4 & times; 24.4 mm and 8.9 g and increased with female size. There was no evidence of a trade-off between egg size and clutch size, nor of pelvic constraint on egg size. Relative clutch mass (clutch mass/gravid body mass) averaged 5.7% and relative egg mass (mean clutch egg mass/gravid body mass) averaged 0.18%, with the latter declining with female body size. Across populations of A. spinifera, body size and clutch size increased with latitude, but egg size decreased. Reproductive output in this population is more hypoallometric than in most other turtles and the similar increases in both clutch size and egg size with body size suggest a bet-hedging rather than an optimal egg-size strategy. Reproductive output of A. spinifera was most similar to that of the Florida Softshell Turtle (A. ferox), as well as that of the sister genus Rafetus; however, the Smooth Softshell Turtle (A. mutica) invested significantly more in relative clutch mass and egg mass than the other species.
American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the most widely distributed New World crocodile, inhabiting lowland and coastal wetlands of the Americas. Despite its broad range, populations face multiple stressors, and survey data remain limited in many areas, including Jamaica, where habitat loss and illegal hunting pose significant threats. We conducted the first island-wide assessment of C. acutus in Jamaica to evaluate encounter rates, distribution, size-class structure, and nesting activity. Additionally, we analyzed habitat use to identify Crocodile Conservation Units (CCUs), the most important areas for the conservation of C. acutus. Over two years (2020-2022), we conducted 105 spotlight surveys across 35 sites and extracted 1,974 geolocations from historical and current data. Our results confirm crocodile presence across the historical South Coast range, with small, scattered populations on the North Coast. We encountered non-hatchling crocodiles at a rate of 2.5 crocodiles/km (1,049 crocodiles/427.2 km) with relative abundance varying across different habitats. Sewage ponds, mangrove swamps, and rivers supported the highest encounter rates, and juveniles (27%) and hatchlings (14%) were the most frequently observed. Our findings demonstrate the ability of C. acutus to adapt and persist in a changing environment, inhabiting artificial wetlands and disturbed landscapes. We identified seven CCUs that encompass critical natural and artificial habitats, 81.2% of which fall within protected areas. To ensure the long-term survival of C. acutus in Jamaica, we recommend a combination of strategies, including protecting critical habitats (CCUs), long-term education programs, stronger law enforcement, and further research.
Madagascar harbors exceptional chameleon diversity, yet detailed ecological and microclimatic data remain scarce for many species. We conducted an extensive field survey of chameleons in the Vohimana Reserve, eastern Madagascar, combining species inventories, habitat characterization, and fine-scale microclimatic measurements across primary forest, secondary forest, and Eucalyptus plantations. Over 195 survey days, we recorded 577 individuals representing at least 12 species from three genera (Brookesia, Calunna, and Furcifer), including the first confirmed record of the Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) for the reserve. Species showed pronounced differences in habitat use: Brookesia species, the Forked Chameleon (Calumma furcifer), and, to a lesser extent, the Pinocchio Chameleon (C. pinocchio) were strongly associated with undisturbed primary forest, characterized by higher and less variable Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values, whereas other taxa were more prevalent in secondary habitats. Microclimatic conditions measured at observation sites varied seasonally but differed only modestly among the most abundant species, suggesting that habitat structure and vegetation integrity may be more influential than microclimate alone in shaping species distributions. Nevertheless, species associated with dense forest were consistently exposed to lower temperatures and UV indices. Seasonal variation in detectability further emphasized species-specific ecological strategies. Together, our results highlight the importance of preserving intact primary forest, fine-scale habitat heterogeneity, and microclimatic stability for chameleon conservation, and provide critical baseline data for habitat suitability modeling and future in situ and ex situ conservation planning.
Amphibians are facing unprecedented threats across the globe, prompting biologists to maintain and study captive populations for research, breeding, and rescue purposes. Methods that reduce the effort and cost of maintaining captive animals will be helpful for amphibian conservation. Communal housing of amphibian larvae is often used to maintain hundreds of animals through metamorphosis; however, some research and conservation objectives may necessitate keeping larval amphibians isolated to prevent cannibalism or reduce competition and maximize growth. This is challenging as monitoring water quality on hundreds of individual housing units is costly in effort. We developed a method to maintain salamander larvae in isolation, while keeping 22 individuals per aquarium. This minimized effort to maintain water quality across several hundred housing units. Our method requires inexpensive materials that should be locally available for most researchers. We describe our methods and compare results of survival, body size, and time to metamorphosis for 180 larvae with previous studies to evaluate the effects of our housing design. Larval survival was high (> 90%); however, time to and size at metamorphosis differed from most other laboratory studies, probably due to our feeding regime, not housing. Position effects within and across aquaria were minimal, demonstrating our housing method generates little phenotypic variation across individuals. If researchers or conservation professionals wish to maintain salamander larvae in isolation in the laboratory, our method could reduce the time necessary to provide larval care.
Temperature strongly influences sea turtle embryonic development, affecting incubation duration, hatching success, and sex determination. We investigated whether nest shading moderates incubation temperatures and outcomes for Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) at a hatchery in Sri Lanka. Two incubation pens were used: a tree shaded pen (about 70% canopy cover) and an unshaded pen exposed to direct sunlight. Beach-collected clutches were split evenly and reburied in each pen. Data loggers recorded temperatures at nest centers; in a second phase with Green Turtle clutches, we placed loggers at three depths (10, 35, and 55 cm from the base) to assess within nest stratification. We monitored 14 Green Turtle nests (1,481 eggs) and 13 Olive Ridley nests (1,296 eggs), plus eight Green Turtle clutches for depth profiling. Shaded nests were cooler by a mean of 3.3 degrees C for both species. Hatching success did not differ between treatments: Green Turtles hatched at 82-96% (shaded) and 88-94% (unshaded), and Olive Ridleys at 80-95% (shaded) and 82-96% (unshaded). Incubation duration was shorter in unshaded nests. Sex ratio predictions from middle-third temperatures indicated 100% female production under unshaded conditions, whereas shaded nests produced more balanced ratios. Significant differences in incubation temperatures were observed across the bottom, middle, and top nest levels in both sunny and shaded pens, with stronger stratification in unshaded nests in GLMM analyses. Shading is therefore a practical hatchery tool to reduce thermal extremes and mitigate female-biased sex ratios under climate warming.
Studies on anomalous scales in snakes are still very incipient. Little is known about their causes, and they may or may not imply performance disadvantages for individuals bearing them. In addition to being rarely reported, these anomalies are seldom used to assist in snake identification in capture-mark-recapture studies. We describe the types, frequency, and occurrence patterns of anomalous ventral and subcaudal scales, as well as their use alongside marking techniques in a capture-mark-recapture study of a Boettger's Sipo (Chironius ftavolineatus) population in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil. We found 11 types of anomalies in 24 individuals, of which we recaptured four of the snakes with no change in the location or type of anomalies present. Some types of anomalies tended to occur in only one sex and were recorded in both adult and newly hatched individuals, suggesting no negative influence on the survival of an individual.
temperatures due to climate change may increase embryonic mortality in oviparous ectotherms such as sea turtles, which develop within a narrow thermal range. Embryos at the top of the clutch are presumed to face greater thermal stress with rising temperatures due to closer proximity to the sand surface, yet in situ studies of vertical egg survival remain scarce. We tested whether higher top-of-clutch mortality occurs in Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests along a 2-km stretch of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, a key nesting site for both species. During the 2024 nesting season, we marked five to 15 top-positioned eggs per clutch (nine to 15 clutches per season third, per species) using India ink and compared top-of-clutch hatching success with the rest of the clutch. We found no differences in top-of-clutch survival across the season for Loggerhead Turtles (35 clutches). In Green Turtles (32 clutches), top eggs had lower survival during only the early season (odds ratio = 0.34, 95% HPD = 0.13-0.67). Inter-species comparisons during overlapping timeframes and high overall hatching success indicate that incubation temperature (indirectly inferred through incubation duration) may not explain the Green Turtle early season top-of-clutch mortality. We also showed that India ink had no adverse effect on egg survival and proved effective for tracking individual egg fate in situ. This minimally invasive method enables in situ monitoring of vertical egg survival in nests.
Gopher Tortoises inhabit coastal systems, including barrier islands, across the southeastern U.S. St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is an uninhabited barrier island located off the coast of northwestern Florida. Although tortoises have been observed on the island, no information is available on the status of the population. We conducted a line transect distance sampling survey to evaluate the Gopher Tortoise population on St. Vincent Island. Additionally, we collected samples for genetic analyses from 11 individual tortoises captured opportunistically and via bucket traps on the island and 15 tortoises captured at nearby mainland sites. Surveys covered approximately 43% of the sampling frame and resulted in 55 burrows, 28 of which were occupied. The abundance estimate for the island was 52 tortoises (95% confidence interval [CI] = 27-100) and the density was relatively low at 0.071 tortoises/ha (95% CI = 0.037-0.136). Genetic analyses of two mtDNA markers identified a new haplotype unique to St. Vincent Island and another three haplotypes previously found across the southeastern U.S. The genetic composition of Gopher Tortoises on St. Vincent Island is representative of the entire southeastern U.S. but most closely aligns with tortoise populations east of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee River system. Although the tortoise population on this island is small, the extent of seemingly appropriate habitat on the island and the genetic diversity of the population suggests the potential for growth with added management intervention.
Vehicle induced road mortality poses a serious threat to Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) populations in coastal areas throughout their range, with disproportionate impacts on adult females. A greater understanding of the influence temporal and spatial factors have on road crossings and mortality is needed to improve management of this pervasive and persistent threat. From 2017-2020, we surveyed a 4.9 km road bisecting a saltmarsh in southern New Jersey, USA, for Diamondback Terrapin activity during daily surveys throughout the nesting season (May-July). For each Diamondback Terrapin encountered, we recorded vitality (live, dead, injured), GPS location, time, weather, tide gage height, and tidal stage. Crossing hot spots occurred mainly on the eastern end of the road closer to high density nesting locations, despite the presence of mitigation fencing. Gaps in mitigation fencing for driveways and roads likely compromised fence effectiveness. Crossings were influenced by tidal stage, with greater likelihood of encounters during high and falling tides. Cloud cover and time of day interacted to affect crossings. Under partly cloudy conditions, Diamondback Terrapin road crossings increased by 50.7% in mid-afternoon and decreased by 28.8% in late morning, suggesting a possible shift to later nesting. Together, these results will guide installation strategies and material choices for fencing and strategic placement of signage and timing of surveys for continued conservation efforts to mitigate areas of high mortality risk for Diamondback Terrapins.
Using linear morphometric measurements and applying the size dimorphism index (SDI), allometric analysis, along with both univariate and multivariate approaches, we evaluated sexual shape dimorphism in adults of the Mesquite Lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) from a population in central Mexico. Most SDI values (tail length, head length, head width, head height, femur length, and largest toe length) were biased towards males; the SDI for interlimb distance was biased towards females. In our population, this lizard does not show sexual dimorphism in SVL. Females showed an isometric relationship in five traits, and hypoallometry in femur and largest toe length. Males also showed an isometric relationship in five traits, and hypoallometry in the head length and largest toe length. Body proportions differed between sexes: tail length and femur length increased more rapidly with SVL for males than for females. Additionally, length, width and height of head, and largest toe length were greater in males than in females when accounting for SVL. The interlimb distance was greater for females than for males when accounting for SVL. PCA revealed clear separation between sexes along PCI (accounting 75%. Tail length showed the highest loading associated with males, while the interlimb distance had the highest loading associated with females. A MANOVA showed significant multivariate sexual dimorphism over all seven morphometric variables. Although this population is not sexually dimorphic in SVL, the observed sexual dimorphism in body proportions was similar to those reported in other lizard species and may be influenced by selective pressures linked to both sexual and fecundity selection.
are a key component of global terrestrial vertebrate diversity. Because of its close association with the environment, it has been suggested that herpetofaunal diversity is higher in structurally heterogeneous plant communities (e.g., tropical forests) and lower in more homogeneous systems (e.g., mangroves). Despite being poorly studied, Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve (Campeche, Mexico) is an ideal system to test this hypothesis, as it harbors multiple plant communities within a single region. In this study, we used Hill numbers to assess whether amphibian and reptile diversity differs among six plant communities distributed along a transect: three heterogeneous (Disturbed Tropical Forest, Conserved Tropical Forest, and Tropical Forest Peten) and three homogeneous (Short Mangrove, Peten Mangrove, and Stripe Mangrove). We recorded 512 individuals representing 10 amphibian and 28 reptile species. Sample coverage estimates indicated adequate sampling completeness. In contrast to expectations, the Short Mangrove showed the highest abundance and species richness. a-diversity analyses revealed that this community is more similar to the heterogeneous communities than to the other homogeneous ones and indicated the existence of two assemblages within the regional herpetofaunal community. These findings suggest that factors such as geographic distribution or the availability of refuges may be more decisive than vegetation structural heterogeneity in shaping amphibian and reptile diversity patterns, encouraging a re-examination of the role of vegetation heterogeneity in tropical systems.
Real mortality is a major concern for the viability of wildlife populations worldwide, particularly for amphibians and reptiles due to their life-history traits, slow movement, and strong site fidelity. Standardized road mortality surveys provide detailed temporal and spatial roadkill trends but are geographically limited and require significant personnel and time commitments. Community science datasets offer an alternative for examining trends at a national level. We obtained data from the Canadian Amphibians and Reptiles on Roads project from iNaturalist Canada. The data spanned from 1978-2024, and contained 21,214 geo-referenced observations from 2,890 contributors, including observations of 13 salamander, 20 anuran, four lizard, eight turtle, and 23 snake species alive or dead on roads. Reptiles accounted for 81% of records, with significantly more turtle than snake observations. The Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) was the most common species on roads. Our analysis revealed strong spatial biases, with sampling hotspots concentrated in southern Ontario and southern British Columbia. Temporally, turtle observations peaked in June, snakes in September, and both salamanders and anurans in April and October. Despite spatial biases and observer variability, this dataset provides nationwide insights into amphibian and reptile patterns on roads in Canada. Our study is the first to summarize Canada-wide road patterns in herpetofauna using community science data, highlighting the importance of unstandardized, volunteer-driven data collection. While observer biases and data quality issues persist, advances in open-source data collection methods can improve large-scale wildlife monitoring and mitigation strategies.
The biodiversity crisis is outpacing conservation efforts, with amphibians among the most affected groups due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and disease. We analyzed spatiotemporal records of the Rhinella marina group, i.e., the Achaval's Toad (R achavali), Argentine Toad (R arenarum), Cururu Toad (R diptycha), and Yellow Cururu Toad (R icterica), in the South American Pampa biome. Locality data came from traditional sources (e.g., literature, institutional collections) and the citizen-science platform iNaturalist. We characterized the spatiotemporal distribution of the group, assessed the contribution of iNaturalist to occurrence data, and analyzed land use/cover changes around records. Between 2001-2020, records increased for all species except R icterica, which were largely concentrated before 1980. iNaturalist contributed 48.5% and 39.2% of the grid cells defined for our spatiotemporal analysis of records for R arenarum and R diptycha, respectively, expanding coverage into areas poorly represented by traditional sources. Nevertheless, many areas still lacked recent records, indicating persistent temporal gaps in documentation. In our land-use analysis using 50-km buffered areas around species records, grassland cover declined for all species between 1985 and 2020, most strongly forR achavali (from 68.5% grassland to 52.8%) and R icterica (from 43.2% to 28.2%), coinciding with marked expansion of agriculture or pasture over the same period, especially for R icterica (from 27.8% agriculture/pasture to 37.1%) and R achavali (from 12.8% to 20.3%). Overall, sampling gaps combined with habitat loss may mask local declines. Systematic surveys integrating traditional and citizen science are essential to better assess population trends and threats in the Pampa biome.
Amphibians are key components of ecosystems yet remain underrepresented in research compared to othervertebrates. With 41% of amphibian species globally threatened, addressing knowledge gaps is critical. Costa Rica harbors 222 amphibian species, of which 37% are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, or Data Deficient. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on Costa Rican amphibians published between 2000 and 2022, compiling 327 studies and analyzing taxonomic, thematic, spatial, and collaborative patterns. Research was strongly biased toward frogs (Anura), while salamanders (Caudata) and caecilians (Gymnophiona) were scarcely studied. Most species reported belonged to common or abundant taxa, with 28 species lacking publications altogether. Ecological and behavioral studies predominated, whereas genetics, evolution, and biochemistry were rarely addressed. Geographically, research concentrated in accessible areas, covering only 1.35% of the territory of Costa Rica, with no records from Paramo ecosystems. Nearly 58% of sampled sites were outside protected areas, and only 47 of 147 terrestrial protected areas had amphibian research. Collaborations involved 236 institutions from 33 countries, with the U.S. and Germany the leading partners. Despite an increase in publications in recent years, threatened and Data Deficient species, high-montane ecosystems, and invasive taxa remain largely overlooked. Addressing these gaps will require innovative methods such as environmental DNA, strengthening local-international partnerships, and prioritizing underrepresented taxa and habitats. Our synthesis highlights both advances and persistent biases in amphibian research in Costa Rica, offering guidance for future conservation and management strategies.
As part of the transboundary cooperation between components of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area, we conducted three herpetological surveys across the Maputo National Park (Maputo province, austral summer. The total survey consisted of 44 pitfall and funnel trap arrays across the dominant terrestrial vegetation types for each of the protected areas creating a baseline to inform future research and monitoring. The Tembe Elephant Park survey (18 pitfall and funnel trap arrays) recorded a total of 10 amphibian and 30 reptile species, whilst the Maputo National Park surveys (26 pitfall and funnel trap arrays) recorded 13 amphibian and 41 reptile species. The sum of these surveys across the complex recorded 13 amphibian and 44 reptile species. These surveys produced several reptile range extensions for the complex, including the first record of a globally Near Threatened species for Mozambique. Our study underrepresented amphibian species richness, however, due to the exclusion of aquatic habitats from the sampling design. Based on the data, we recommend future additional assessments and monitoring programs for the conservation of herpetofauna in both protected areas and the general region.
Human development has resulted in the loss of natural wetlands in many regions and thus has led to amphibian habitat loss. Human-constructed wetlands are increasingly prevalent, particularly in human-modified landscapes, and can be used as breeding habitats by amphibians. It is important to identify factors influencing amphibian use of constructed wetlands to guide future wetland creation efforts. We examined wetland-and landscape-level factors influencing the presence and reproduction of native amphibians in 33 recently created (2-11 yold) wetlands within an urban-agricultural interface in northern Idaho, USA. We recorded wetland age, perimeter vegetation, and percentage of surrounding land cover as covariates and modeled detection and occupancy using Bayesian Multi-scale Occupancy Models for the three species we detected: Sierran Treefrog (Pseudacris sierra), Colombia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris), and Long-Toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum). Our results indicate that these three species can rapidly colonize recently created wetlands in an urban-agricultural interface. The effects of wetland-and landscape-scale features varied across species. Colombia Spotted Frog occupancy was greatest in older wetlands with some evidence for a negative association with more urbanized landscapes. Long-Toed Salamanders and Sierran Treefrogs were not associated with wetland age but also showed some evidence of negative associations with urbanization. Long-Toed Salamanders showed evidence of using less vegetated wetlands while Sierran Treefrogs showed evidence of using more vegetated wetlands. Our results are consistent with multiple studies showing that wetlands in human-modified landscapes can provide amphibian breeding habitat, and they suggest that including vegetation plantings within recently created wetlands may promote amphibian colonization. Anecdotal observations also indicate that designing wetlands with sufficient hydroperiod for metamorphoses may be important for ensuring that newly created wetlands benefit amphibian populations.
Trade in wildlife, including reptiles, represents an important component of the livelihoods of many indigenous people globally. Characterizing the extent of this trade and its relationship to livelihoods is necessary to understand its sustainability. We report on the trade of reptiles for food, traditional medicine, and crafts in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, for which data has been lacking compared to elsewhere in the country. We interviewed 28 people, including 13 from craft stalls, five traditional healers, seven from restaurants, and three wildmeat traders on the origin, acquisition and use of reptiles. We documented 16 species, including nine CITES listed species, of which 69% were used for meat, 38% in traditional medicine, and 69% for leather products. The most harvested species for meat included the Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica), Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus), Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), Rock Python (Python sebae), and forest tortoises (Kinixys sp.). Species sold for traditional medicines included the Rock Python and two chameleon species. There was at least one incidence of a critically endangered African Slender Snouted Crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) being traded for its meat and skin. Crocodiles, pythons, vipers, cobras, and monitor lizards were predominately utilized for clothing products. The demand for reptiles in these multiple uses requires further documentation, with only anecdotal reports from traders of reductions in availability of certain species traded; notably vipers and crocodylians. We discuss possible measures to improve monitoring of this trade network to determine its sustainability and requirements for sustainable management.
The spread of invasive species, a persistent threat to floodplain forests, necessitates management actions to mitigate potential negative effects and ensure the continued functioning of these systems. Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense), a widespread invader of southern U.S. forests, is of particular concern in riparian forests because of its demonstrated negative effect on the forest floor (e.g., soil fauna, leaf litter compositionlabundance, and temperature). Many species of reptiles and amphibians depend on functioning southern bottomland hardwood forests. To better understand potential habitat impacts caused by Chinese Privet, we established 60 sampling plots across floodplain forests on a private property in Alabama, USA: 20 uninvaded plots, 20 Chinese Privetinvaded plots, and 20 plots undergoing active restoration through cutting and prescribed fire. We conducted monthly timed-area searches for herpetofauna and took temperature and soil moisture measurements when we encountered individuals. Additionally, we quantified leaf litter on all 60 sampling plots twice during the study duration. Uninvaded plots had greater leaf litter compared to other treatment plots and herpetofauna community composition differed between uninvaded plots compared to privet-invaded plots, whereas restoration plot composition was intermediate between the other plot types. Due to fire eliminating leaf litter, restoration plots likely exhibited traits more similar to privet-invaded plots with respect to herpetofaunal community composition and leaf litter dry mass, as privet monocultures could inhibit leaf litter deposition by trapping litter in their semievergreen canopy. Our results indicate that Chinese Privet dominance may result in reduced leaf-litter cover, thereby indirectly affecting ground-dwelling herpetofauna.
In Northwestern Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata), the fungus Emydomyces testavorans (Emte) is of special interest due to its potential to have negative health impacts on both captive and wild turtle populations. The full effects of this fungus on Northwestern Pond Turtle fitness are not yet understood, and up to a few years ago, Emte was originally thought to be restricted to the northern range of the host in Washington State. In 2020, however, Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta) living with Northwestern Pond Turtles in California were found infected with Emte, raising the need to expand pathogen monitoring in this region. We captured and tested Northwestern Pond Turtles for Emte across five populations in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, USA, between 2021 and 2023. We found a low prevalence of Emte positive qPCR samples across the Californian populations, and the pathogen loads of positive individuals were low compared to reference samples from Washington state. These observations suggest that Emte is broadly distributed in the San Francisco Bay Area, but concentrations of the fungus were low. Despite the low prevalence of Emte in California, we observed a high frequency of turtle shell disease, raising the need to further explore the etiology of shell disease in this area and a need to further nvestigate the genetic or ecological mechanisms behind these observations.
Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are a species of conservation concern across their range, with road mortality and nest depredation among the top contributing factors of population declines. The Downing-Musgrove Causeway in Georgia, USA, attracts large numbers of nesting terrapins each year, creating a need for management interventions. To mitigate road mortality, we installed exclusion fencing along a section of the causeway where female Diamondback Terrapins commonly emerge to nest. Nests laid on the fence line, however, remained vulnerable to Northern Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and other nest predators. To address this problem, we tested a novel electric predator barrier designed to protect nests along the fence border. We used a combination of wildlife cameras and volunteer observers to record nesting and depredation events to estimate nest survival within and outside of the protected area. We also compared the number of terrapins hit by vehicles before and after exclusion fencing was constructed. Our results show that fencing reduced road mortality by 81.0%, and the predator barrier reduced nest depredation rates by 97.9%. Road exclusion fencing, in combination with an electric predator barrier, offers an effective strategy to increase adult female Diamondback Terrapin survival and potential recruitment.
