Great Bay Terrapin Project
The goals of the Great Bay Terrapin Conservation Project are to help reduce abnormally high mortality rates and to educate the public about the threats to the terrapin population in New Jersey. This project is made possible by generous support from Jenkinson's Aquarium, Exelon, and Absolutely Fish.
Northern Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) are native to New Jersey and inhabit the many miles of coastal salt marshes and estuaries along the Atlantic Coast and Delaware Bay. They live exclusively in brackish water (a mixture of both salt and fresh water). Habitat loss, mortality from being drowned in crab traps, and road mortality all pose major threats to the health of the population. Each year thousands of terrapins are killed by motor vehicles throughout their range and here in New Jersey, Great Bay Boulevard is no exception.
Diamondback terrapins are named for their diamond shaped pattern on their carapace. © Eric Sambol
Brief History of Terrapins
Terrapins were once very common and were used as a main food source of protein by Native Americans and then European settlers. In the early 1900s it was hunted so extensively that it almost faced extinction. Terrapin stew was a popular delicacy in the U.S. and terrapins were exported to several European countries. In the late 19th century, 400,000 lbs were harvested annually (True, 1887). By 1920, their population dwindled and only 823 lbs were harvested in one year on the Chesapeake Bay and cost $125/dozen. Prohibition (sherry was a main ingredient in soup) and the great depression (people could not afford high cost of terrapins) helped reduce desire and demand for terrapins. Luckily, during the 1920s, use of terrapins for food dropped in popularity. This allowed the population to slightly recover and avoid extinction. In 2002, the Northern diamondback terrapin was listed as a species of special concern in New Jersey. The listing as special concern “warrants special attention because of some evidence of decline” (NJ ENSP-Species Status Listing). Although, this status has not been offically adopted under the Endangered Species Conservation Act and terrapins are still considered to be a game species with an open season from November 1 to March 31.
Today, little is known about their actual population status in New Jersey.
Project Area
Great Bay Boulevard or Seven Bridges Road is located in Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County, New Jersey. The road extends approximately 5 miles into estuarine emergent wetlands and prime Northern diamondback terrapin habitat. It is not clear when the road was originally built, but it was meant to help supply the old Crab Island Fish Factory. The shoulders along the road provide suitable nesting sites for terrapins. The boulevard is surrounded by over 5,500 acres of protected coastal habitat (Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area – Managed by NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife), a relatively unspoiled, estuarine ecosystem. This road has a high a volume of traffic (mean of over 800 vehicles/day/month) in summer months when females actively search for suitable nest sites (Szerlag et. al. 2006). Many juveniles and males also cross the road to access other small creeks and ditches that were filled from the creation of the road.
Zoom+ From May - August hundreds of terrapins cross Great Bay Blvd. Slow down and allow them to cross or help in the direction they are traveling. © Ben Wurst
Currently from May-July there is no protection to terrapins when they cross Great Bay Blvd. from vehicle traffic. Many terrapins that cross the road are adult females who are laden with eggs and are looking for suitable nest sites. These females lay their eggs in a sand/gravel mixture where it is easy for them to dig and cover their eggs, like sandy dunes and in scrub-shrub habitat along road edges. Many female terrapins are inadvertently hit-by-car and injured or killed by motorists and people unaware of the summer nesting habits of the terrapin. Terrapins remain close to where they originated and do not make long distance migrations (Tucker, 2001). They also have very small home ranges. Therefore, over time high mortality rates from vehicle collisions may significantly reduce the local population. This creates a trend that terrapin populations cannot sustain (Avissar, 2006).
Help us protect Terrapins! Report a Sighting of a Northern Diamondback Terrapin in New Jersey.
Conservation work began in 2010. Thanks to private donors we were able to purchase and install 4000 linear feet of fence. It was installed by volunteers and employees of Exelon - Oyster Creek. Volunteers worked tirelessly to install the fence. It was a learning process for both CWF staff and volunteers since this is the first conservation project we have initiated to help protect terrapins in New Jersey. Driving in stakes was tough in the highly compacted soils along the road. Careful attention was paid to any gaps that were in the fence. Landscaping ground staples were installed to help hold the fence tight to the ground.
Zoom+ Andy Wurst, a volunteer for the Terrapin Project helps drive in a wood stake to hold up barrier fencing. © Ben Wurst
In June and July the fence was maintained and repaired after several repeated attempts by people to damage it. Sections of the fence drooped in the heat of the day. The fence was up until early September, well after terrapins were finished nesting. A new fence will be installed before the end of April 2011.
With the funding that we received in 2010, a brochure was developed and printed. It is now available at local marinas in area, the Jacques Cousteau National Research Reserve Education Center and the Tuckerton Seaport. The brochure has information about terrapins and their threats, our plan and ways to help terrapins. We also installed three "Terrapin X-ING" signs along the road.
2011 Conservation Work
This spring we are recruiting volunteers to act as "terrapin stewards." The volunteers would periodically check fences and crossing areas for terrapins. They will record live and dead individuals that will be submitted to the Endangered and Nongame Species Program for inclusion into the Landscape Project. The stewards would also educate the public about the importance of terrapins and their threats in the environment. We plan to recruit and train stewards in April.
Our message to visitors: The habitat that surrounds Great Bay Boulevard is very important to the reproduction of northern diamondback terrapins, a species in decline in New Jersey. Female terrapins often nest along the soft shoulders of roadways. Sometimes they enter the roadway to reach these suitable nesting areas where they lay their eggs. Research has shown that many female terrapins are killed by motor vehicles each year along Great Bay Boulevard. Please help conserve terrapins by driving carefully while traveling along the road.
We are also working with Little Egg Harbor Township to have the speed limit reduced from 50mph to 30mph. The township will be conducting road surveys this year. One will be done in April and one in July.
On May 3rd we had the first Volunteer Terrapin Steward training/information session in Tuckerton, NJ at the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve. Volunteers will begin patroling roads in the Little Egg Harbor area on Memorial Day Weekend.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate
This project is completely funded by donations and all of it goes to help terrapins! If you would like to help fund this project to prevent terrapins from being hit-by-car, please support our cause by making a donation today!
Volunteer
Help spread the word for people to "Be Terrapin Aware" while driving along roads in the coastal region of New Jersey. Help install or maintain our 4,000 foot barrier fence along Great Bay Blvd. Contact Ben if you are interested in helping out!
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Schedule an educational "Great Bay Terrapin Project" presentation, which covers Northern diamondback terrapin identification, habitat, life history, human impacts, and the challenges of helping to protect terrapins in the coastal zone of New Jersey. This is a great program for schools, civic organizations and scouting groups.
A new "Terrapin X-ING" that was installed on Radio Rd. on Osborne Island in Little Egg Harbor, NJ by Ocean County Roads Department. © Ben Wurst
Partners:
1. Cape Horn Marina Inc.
570 Great Bay Blvd.
Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087
609-296-4456
630 Great Bay Boulevard
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
609-296-4406
3. Ocean County Vocational Technical School
MATES Program – Project Terrapin
Manahawkin, NJ
4. NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
Bureau of Land Management
Central Region Superintendent: Ray Porutski
609-259-6969
5. Little Egg Harbor Environmental Commission and Public Works
Little Egg Harbor, NJ
6. Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve
Tuckerton, NJ
References:
- Avissar, Naomi G. 2006. Changes in Population Structure of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) in a Previously Surveyed Creek in Southern New Jersey. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, Volume 5, Number 1. 154-159
- Hoden, R., Able K.W. 2003. Habitat use and road mortality of Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve at Mullica River – Great Bay in southern New Jersey. Jacques Cousteau NERR Technical Report 100–24.
- Szerlag, S., and S. P. McRobert. 2006. Road occurrence and mortality of the northern diamondback terrapin. Applied Herpetology 3:27-37.
- True, F. W. 1887. The turtle and terrapin fisheries, pp. 493–503. In: G.B. Goode et al. (eds.), The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States. Section 5, volume 2, part XIX. U.S. Commission on Fisheries, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
- Tucker, A. D., J. W. Gibbons, and J. L. Greene. 2001. Estimates of adult survival and migration for diamondback terrapins: conservation insight from local extirpation within a metapopulation. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79:2199-2209
Future Goals for the Terrapin Project:
- Obtain funding through a grant from a private foundation or corporation
- Record terrapin sightings to more accurately map range in New Jersey
- Use sightings to map roadways where roadside fences could prevent motor vehicles from striking female terrapins
- Record live and dead individuals when encountered on roads to help identify road kill "hot spots"
- Provide data to state, county, and local government to help influence road improvement projects that intersect with terrapin habitat to reduce road kills
- Expand fencing project north of Great Bay Blvd
Learn more:
 | 2010 Terrapin Project Newsletter - 133.0KB |
| Terrapin Brochure - 751.1KB |
Contact Us:
Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager: Email
609.628.2103
With support from:
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