Re: Head-Starting Diamondback Terrapin
MW Before you guys release these little jewels in the water, go find some naturally hatched babies and see where they live their first year. I think you may be suprised. I have not seen muched published on this, but DBT don’t go for the 100 hatchling mad dash for the open water as sea turtles. It is interesting and would make a landmark publication for the disertation bound graduate student. If I told you then everyone would know where to find them. I prefer to not have this on my conscience, but then again I seem to be the evil one. Some of you should check the Tulane studies in their methods of scientific sampling as well as another individual that did average cranial character comparisons to “find” a relationship between Malaclemys and Graptemys. The adult female skulls of macrospilota did not exactly come from road kills and natural deaths. This was important info for the herpetological community as well as a sizable control group to reinforce this information. I am all for science but there is much to learn from observation without disection of a sample group. Some of you may can see where I am coming from in hesitation to release info about populations and or habits. Just be careful about releasing hatchlings and watching the sea gulls and fish get their fill. Try yearlings (3in+) in heavy cover at mid tide line, not hatchlings. Good luck, and you have all of our full support in your efforts. Just enjoy… The not-so-cherished, Scott — In diamondbackterrapins@egroups.com, “Chun-Ming Chew”