Spotted Turtle Monitoring

Project Summary

A healthy turtle population depends on more than the survival of adult animals. It also depends on successful reproduction, suitable nesting environment, and successful reproduction. For a small, isolated population of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) in south central Pennsylvania understanding those three things is vital for understanding what the future holds for them.

TheTurtleRoom is working with state conservation partners to reassess a population that has been studied periodically since 2002. Led by Miranda Russell, Assistant Director of Field Programs, this project builds on more than two decades of research to better understand population demographics, habitat use, and the success of nesting efforts at a managed state-owned site.

Earlier studies identified concerns about the population’s ability to sustain itself. Research conducted in 2014 found no evidence of juvenile turtles or nesting activity. Although habitat management had been undertaken to improve potential nesting areas, it remained unclear if those efforts had been successful.

Returning to the site in 2024 and 2026 has provided an opportunity to confirm results. The work is opportunistic capture of individual turtles, evaluating the nesting behaviors, and gathering information that can guide future habitat development decisions.

Revisiting a Long-Studied Population

The spotted turtle population inhabits a complex of vernal ponds and surrounding upland. The site includes 12 ephemeral ponds within a mixed forest landscape, providing a network of wetlands and terrestrial areas used year round by the turtle population.

Research at the site began in 2002 and 2003, when a graduate research project first examined the population and its habitat use. The site was revisited in 2014 for another study, which found several adult turtles but no observed nesting activity or juveniles. This brought into question if the juvenile recruitment of young turtles was able to contribute to the population.

After a timber harvest in 1991, forested buffers were retained around the ponds. Within the last 12 years, management efforts included removing selected trees and cutting back shrubby vegetation to open the canopy and create potential habitats for nesting.

In 2024, when theTurtleRoom returned to the area, five turtles were captured through hand and trapping efforts. These turtles had been previously documented, they included two males and three females. Only one of the females had been a subadult in the original study.

Although dry conditions in June limited opportunities to observe nesting behavior, researchers located a nest in July. Steps were taken to protect the nest. Evidence indicated that the next had successfully produced hatchlings. This was an important finding for a population where previous nesting habits had been poorly documented.

Continuing the Reassessment

In spring of 2026 fieldwork resumed, researchers used trapping and hand capture techniques to locate and document individuals.

Six previously captured adults were encountered during the season, including two males and three females documented in 2024, as well as a fourth female last recorded in 2014. Of the four females, two had originally been documented as juveniles or subadults in 2002 or 2003, including the female last seen in 2014.

Researchers did not directly observe nesting activity during 2026. Two of the females were identified as gravid. In June, another nest was located and protected. Evidence indicated that four eggs had successfully produced hatchlings.

Gaining further information about juveniles and subadults will take time and continued monitoring.

Supporting Long-Term Conservation

Long-term monitoring is especially important for isolated populations like this. Changes in adult survival have lasting consequences. But comparing current observations with previous studies, we are able to identify changes that would otherwise go unnoticed.

The next phase of this project will continue capture/mark/recapture efforts and expand passive monitoring. Remote camera traps placed near areas known basking locations, access trails, and potential nesting sites will help document seasonal activity with less disturbance. These cameras and their associated data plans will provide another way to observe turtles and better understand how they use the site throughout the year.

Every documented turtle, nest, and hatchling adds another piece to the conservation picture. With continued research and support, theTurtleRoom and its partners are working to understand what this population needs to persist for generations to come.

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