During my drive to the grocery store, I saw an odd grey lump on the road ahead of me. At first, I didn’t think anything of it. I figured that the rainstorm had washed deadfall onto the road. As I was driving closer, I little knob popped out of the side- it was a turtle!
I pulled off and parked, throwing on my 4-ways as the rain started back up again. A driver slowed down and swerved around the turtle, missing it. I dashed up, snapped a quick picture, and took it to the side of the road.
The turtle looked a little different from the ones I usually see. This turtle didn’t resemble from the Eastern Painted Turtle, my favorite. It had large, dark eyes and deeply textured scutes on the carapace. The yellow-orange on its underside was bold in comparison to the humble grey topside. With a little research, I learned it is a species of special concern- the wood turtle!
Wood turtles, Glyptemys insculpta, are a semi-aquatic species of turtle whose range covers the majority of Pennsylvania. Wood turtles are globally endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Pennsylvania, wood turtles are under “special concern.”
Wood turtles prefer grassland, forest, and river habitats. I found this turtle near Fishing Creek, an area where many habitat types intersect. The area borders the Clinton County Country Club golf course and a wooded section of Mill Hall. With the stream, forest, and grass all butting up against each other, it is an ideal location for a wood turtle to live.
Once I was home and reading more about the wood turtle, I felt frustrated. Aside from helping one turtle off the road, how can I help more of them?
Enter the the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan (PWAP) by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). This project was designed to identify and categorize vulnerable/endangered species. Additionally, the project helps Pennsylvanians implement measures to support these species.
PWAP lists the wood turtle as having a stable population over the next 10 years, but is vulnerable in the long run. The state’s priority is to improve knowledge of distribution and population parameters.
PWAP lists several specific threats to wood turtles: poaching, habitat loss, and road collisions. In pet circles, wood turtles are “very tame and friendly.” It was easy to find a site instructing the reader how to care for their wood turtle. With a little more digging, I found websites selling wood turtles! In hindsight, I was glad I found the turtle and moved it off the road before it was killed or poached.
We can support wood turtles by reporting sightings to the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS). PARS tracks population data and shares data with the PFBC. Reporting sightings will help with the state’s primary goal of increasing population knowledge. As with other endangered species, we can also continue to support the conservation of its preferred habitat. In my area, I plan on spending more time picking up trash around the lake.
After everything I’ve learned, I’m glad I was able to help this turtle cross the road. I’m honored to have interacted with a rare species! While current projections are bleak, with effort, we can change the future. Focusing on habitat preservation near our homes helps support long-term population stability. I hope that the wood turtle will remain in Pennsylvania for many more generations!
Works Cited
Hamilton, Bob, et al. “Wood Turtle.” PA Herps, 2023, www.paherps.com/herps/turtles/wood_turtle/. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
Myers, Joe. “Wood Turtle Care Sheet.” Reptiles Magazine, 3 Nov. 2014, www.reptilesmagazine.com/wood-turtle-care-sheet/. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
“Species of Greatest Conservation Need Species Accounts Appendix 1.4D-Reptiles.” Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, 4 Nov. 2019.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. “Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta).” U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/species/wood-turtle-glyptemys-insculpta. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
van Dijk, P.P., and J. Harding. “Wood Turtle.” IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Name, 2011, www.iucnredlist.org/species/4965/97416259. Accessed 2 Sept. 2024.
Autumn Knepp 