AQUATIC MOVEMENTS, POTENTIAL NESTING, AND OVERWINTERING HABITAT OF THE NORTHWESTERN POND TURTLE (ACTINEMYS MARMORATA) IN SUBURBAN WATERWAYS. | |||
| William C McCall; Swaim Biological Inc.; wmccall@swaimbio.com; Leslie Koenig, Dr. Farley Connelly | |||
In spring 2024, in Livermore, CA, Swaim Biological Incorporated, attached Druid GPS data loggers on ten adult northwestern pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) in proximity to the suburban interface. The light-weight loggers recorded fine scale movements as well as temperature, light intensity, and speed, and small solar panels allowed for battery charging while the transmitters were exposed. The long battery life allowed year-round monitoring of the turtles via phone application and reduced tracking time and labor. This monitoring effort contributes to our understanding of the ecology of western pond turtles for such behaviors including nesting, overwintering, and general movement ecology in both suburban and open space settings. Such data are highly valuable given potential future listing as well as guidance for current land management to identify areas of important habitat features. | |||
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