Bog+Turtle

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// Glyptemys muhlenbergii // Order: Testudines

=**__Husbandry Information__**=

Notes on Enrichment & Training


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Potential Messaging

 * In general, animals seen at the zoo do not make good pets. Most have specialized dietary, veterinary, housing, and social needs that are difficult or impossible for even dedicated pet owners to meet. Always ensure that your future pet has not been taken from the wild. Captured animals are typically mistreated by profit-motivated traffickers and dealers, resulting in many animal deaths; well-meaning animal lovers may feel like they are rescuing animals by purchasing them but are really perpetuating the cruelty. In addition, many exotic pets are released by their owners when they become too dangerous or demanding, often with devastating effects on local ecosystems. Animals that should never be kept as pets include all bats, primates, and exotic carnivores. Birds, fish, and reptiles have specialized needs, are frequently wild-caught, and damage the local environment if released; guests should be advised to educate themselves and proceed with caution. Domestic dogs and cats are almost always the best option! Many deserving animals are available for adoption at animal shelters. [] []
 * Urbanization

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=__Comments from the Rating System__=
 * Maryland Zoo in Baltimore: Excellent educational content; critically endangered.

=__Natural History Information__=

Range and Habitat
Lives in isolated colonies on the eastern U.S. seaboard from New York state to Georgia. Prefers completely saturated, usually spring-fed wetlands such as bogs, fens, wet meadows, sedge marshes, and older spruce swamps. Prefer relatively open wetlands with slowly flowing streams, rivulets, or surface seepages, usually dominated by clumps of grasses and sedges, and that have soft muddy bottoms.

Physical Description
A very small water turtle with a fairly flat shell, large head, and relatively small feet. The body and shell is mostly dark brown or black, with some yellow or red mottling on the legs. There is a bright yellow or orange streak behind the eyes that may form a band around the neck. Males tend to be larger than females, and have concave plastrons

Life Cycle
Breeding primarily occurs in the spring, but a second breeding season may occur during the early fall. Females typically lay eggs in sunny spots in late spring or early summer, especially during the month of June. Mothers usually lay a single clutch of 1-6 eggs per season. The eggs incubate for 1.5-2 months before the young hatch. Baby turtles will hatch in early fall and may spend the winter in their nest before emerging. After the nest is dug and eggs are laid, no further parental care is given.

Behavior
This animal is only active for the warmest half of the year. During winter months, it will bury itself in mud and brumate until mid-Spring. They are typically diurnal, but are rarely observed due to their small size, inaccessible habitat, and habit of hiding under vegetation. Turtles are typically sedentary, spending most of their life in a small area.

Threats and Conservation Status
Listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. The population is believed to have declined by about 80% over the last 100 years. The major threat is habitat degradation and fragmentation. Since the animal lives in very specific and delicate wetland settings, draining, damming, and filling of these wetlands for human construction or recreation directly impacts the viability of areas for feeding and reproduction. Habitat loss is especially detrimental to this species due to its low reproductive rate. Collection for the pet trade is a historic threat. However, the rarity and newfound legal protection for this animal has rendered this a minor concern. Collision with traffic as turtles cross roads for new habitat is a constant threat, though also minor due to this turtle's sedentary nature. Listed under CITES Appendix I and protected by the Endangered Species Act, the bog turtle is also the subject of a Species Survival Plan (SSP), which aims to create a genetically diverse captive population.

=__Did you know…__=
 * About 1/3 of all bog turtles live in the state of Maryland, but most people have never seen them due to their small size, inaccessible habitat, and rarity
 * This animal's genus name, //Glyptemys//, is a comination of the Greek words //glypt// and //emys//, meaning "carved" and "turtle," respectively. The specific name //muhlenbergii// is in honor of Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Muhlenberg, the 18th century botanist who first described this species.

=__Photographs__=

=__Contributors and Citations__=
 * Houston Zoo, Natural Encounters
 * The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

//When adding a new page, remember to add tags!// This animal’s genus name, //Glyptemys//, is a combination of the Greek words //glypt// and //emys//, meaning “carved” and “turtle,” respectively. The specific name //muhlenbergii// is in honor of Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Muhlenberg, the 18th century botanist who first described this species.
 * //Activity Schedule: diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular//
 * //Continent of Origin//
 * //Diet Requirements: carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, etc.//
 * //General Habitat/Biome: deserts, forests, mountains, etc.//