Bog Turtle
The bog turtle is the smallest of all American turtles, ranging from three to four-and-one-half inches in size. It is an endangered species in many states and its federal designation is “threatened.” The bog turtle resides in southern New England south to the northern part of Georgia. There are southern and northern varieties--they exist Virginia southward or Virginia northward, respectively.
A bog turtle has a very dark body with a splash of yellow or orange on each side of its head and neck. This coloring may also be on the inside of the legs but this is not always the case. The upper shell (carapace) is domed and has rings around the shell plates. As the turtle gets older the shell will be come very smooth. The bog turtle has a lower shell (plastron) which can have splashes of black and cream colors.
In northern parts of its range, the bog turtle hibernates throughout the late fall and winter. It does not become active until the air and water temperatures are at least fifty degrees. Mating generally happens in the spring and baby turtles emerge from the eggs in September. Breeding can also take place in the fall right before hibernation. The bog turtle hibernates with other bog turtles and spotted turtles. Researchers have observed some young turtles staying in the nest until the next spring. A bog turtle does not mature enough to breed for eight to ten years.
Like a variety of other reptiles, the bog turtle is what is called an opportunistic feeder, eating whatever it can find in its location. This might mean insects, worms, slugs, plant leaves, seeds and even carrion. As the name indicates, this turtle likes to live in wet areas, such as bogs, wet meadows, swamps, and marshes. Being a cold-blooded creature, the bog turtle cannot control its body temperature and requires heat from the sun for basking and for reproducing.
The bog turtle’s status is listed as “threatened” for several reasons. Among these are illegal collections for sale as pets, road construction, residential and commercial construction, and the overall disappearance of open, wet spaces in the environment. Another factor is the use of pesticides and contaminants in farm and factory run-off. These also affect the presence of invertebrates which the bog turtle needs for food. Conservation techniques are being implemented at both federal and state levels. Right now the bog turtle is considered the rarest North American turtle.
Bog turtles that have the appropriate environment can live anywhere from thirty to forty years old. Conservationists are currently working to restore their habitat, especially in the states of Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. $1.8 million will be spent over the next ten years to help save bog turtle habitat. The goal is to preserve one thousand acres of habitat, two thousand acres as bordering corridors and to gain the support of over four hundred landowners. These initiatives must be successful or the bog turtle will cease to exist.