Vet Students Impacting Environmental Health

Daria Hagan from Kansas State

I am participating in an ornate box turtle population survey with Sunset Zoo in conjunction with six other AZA facilities in Kansas. We conduct line transection surveys at two different sites, twice each per month when the weather is warm enough for turtle activity. Any box turtles that we find are measured, weighed, and marked so that they can be identified if found again. We also keep track of location, which may help with determining preferred environment or movement patterns. Ornate box turtles are rather difficult to find in the wild so no one is sure about their current population status. Motor vehicle collisions and collection from the wild may pose a significant threat to the species, but we need an understanding of their population in order to understand the level of threat. The population survey will continue for two more years and the results could help to implement regulations preventing public collection from the wild in order to protect them. Although most of my time with the project is spent hiking through long grass trying to tell the difference between a rock and a shell, our team has a lot of fun working together. We know that the information we gather will help protect our state reptile and their habitat for many other species.