Megan Eastman, Delaware Township School
Hunterdon County
First Place, Hunterdon County, Bog Turtle (c) Megan Eastman
Bog Turtle
Hello, I’m a Bog Turtle, or as you scientists call me, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. I heard you coming and became curious because your feet did not sound like the farm animals feet. So, I slowly walked over to come to see who it was. You see, the only visitors I normally get are hungry farm animals looking for something to graze on.
Most of my friends live through different pastures. The ground is soft from the animals that come to graze on the grass. I prefer to live in wet and open places so I can nest, and bask in the sun. But, because of vegetation succession, bog turtle colonies are becoming endangered. Most of my friends live in linear drainage ditches that have healed over time and can hold remarkably high bog turtle densities.
Bog turtles are very small, dark colored turtles with a bright orange patch behind our tympanum, or ear membrane, on both sides of our heads. The scutes, or scale-like horny layers of my carapace or upper shell, are brown or black. Some other bog turtles have a light yellow or reddish center. Our plastron (or underneath) shell is brownish-black with a light yellow or mahogany center. My limbs are brown and have a little yellow, orange or red blotching in them. I am proud to say that I am one of the smallest and most secretive turtles of North America, and measure 7.6 to 10 cm (3 to 3.9 in.) long as an adult. All the females like me have flat or slightly convex plastrons-unlike males who have a concave plastron, a long, thick tail and long fore claws.
But the main reason you’re probably here is to figure out how you can help me and the rest of my species. Most of the bog turtle species live on private lands which can make things very difficult to help us. Lots of biologists devote lots of their free time educating private land owners about bog turtle populations. Do not chop down trees, plants and drain the places where we live.
Ok, that’s it. Gotta go. I think I hear an insect buzzing around. Time for dinner!! And remember, SAVE THE BOG TURTLES!!
Written by: Megan Eastman
Delaware Township School, Sergeantsville
Teachers: Ms. Mikula, Mrs. Freed, Ms. Wheatley