FYITerrapin habitat is possible obstacle

Terrapin habitat is possible obstacle
for House Island bridge Horse Island road, bridge hearing draws debate By Rachel Swick Nov 7, 2006 Cape Gazette staff The diamondback terrapin could present a hurdle for developers who plan to build a bridge in the Horse Island marsh. The terrapin, named for the diamond pattern on its shell, makes its home in brackish coastal swamps, including those off Rehoboth Bay. The Horse Island marsh on the southwestern side of the bay has been known to have terrapin populations, but no one knows how many terrapin inhabit the area, said Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control officials. During a public hearing held Thursday, Nov. 2, the issue of terrapins living in Horse Island arose as a possible obstacle to a proposed bridge project. John Burton, who owns land on Horse Island, proposed building a boardwalk-style bridge from an access road to the island to allow hunters to access the property. Several neighbors oppose the project, saying construction of a bridge could severely damage habitat essential for wildlife, including the terrapin. __Diamondback terrapins are not considered an endangered species. However, they are a species of regional and local conservation concern,__ said Holly Neiderriter, biologist DNREC_s Division of Fish and Wildlife. __They have earned this distinction because they are subject to many threats, including over-harvesting in some states, drowning in crab pots, road mortality of nesting females, alterations of bay shorelines, loss of nesting habitat, water pollution and boat strikes, and because little is known about their population size or status. __However, they are also considered a common species in Delaware and are not afforded much legal protection.__ Neiderriter said the area at Horse Island appears from aerial photographs to be a good nesting habitat and nursery grounds for first and second year terrapins. She said the Division of Fish and Wildlife did provide comments regarding potential use of Horse Island by terrapins. Neiderriter suggested that developers:
__ Avoid impacting open, sandy areas and sandy areas with sparse vegetation __ Use natural and native vegetation techniques to stabilize shorelines because most shoreline stabilization techniques make it difficult for terrapins to reach nesting areas __ Avoid inadvertently leading terrapins toward roadways, by not including lagoons, ditches or other aquatic passages between the bay and road. Terrapins often follow waterways to suitable upland nesting sites. __Since adult turtles spend most of their time in the water, nesting activities and possible impacts to very young turtles using the marsh for food and shelter are the priTerrapinContinued from page 8mary life stages likely to be impacted by increased activity at this location,__ Neiderriter said. Species history
Terrapins have been known to live as far north as Cape Cod and as far south as Texas. Adult terrapins mate in the early spring and the females lay anywhere from five to 12 eggs in sand dunes during the early summer. The eggs hatch in late summer or early fall. Two to three years later the terrapins reach maturity, which takes longer for females. Male terrapins grow to about 5 inches in length, while females reach about 7 inches. Diamondback terrapins were named a species of concern in Delaware after they were hunted almost to extinction. The terrapin was once considered a delicacy and was used to make terrapin soup. The terrapin has been listed as an endangered species in Rhode Island and is considered threatened in Massachusetts. Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia list is as a species of concern, but the terrapin does not hold any status as a federally protected species. Terrapins survive by eating snails, clams, crabs and some marsh plants. While some protections are in place, the terrapin population has a long way to go to rebound from the overharvesting. Threats to the diamondback terrapin include habitat destruction, road kills, boat propellers and natural threats from raccoons, muskrats, skunks and crows that eat the eggs. Volunteers and staff at the Center for the Inland Bays have been working tirelessly for the past several years to help the terrapins cross Route 1 to lay eggs. Road deaths in the area of Route 1 south of Dewey have been decreased due in part to their efforts. Josh Thompson of the CIB headed up the efforts, which placed volunteers on the roads during certain hours when terrapins were most likely to cross the road. Marguerite WhildenThe Terrapin InstituteP. O. Box 51Edgewater, MD 21037Voice 410 370 9171FAX 410 757 9268www.terrapininstitute.org “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.”