Students Raise Rare Turtles to Boost Wild Populations
DIGHTON. Mass. — On one side of a large greenhouse behind the Bristol County Agricultural High School are a dozen shallow plastic tubs, each containing a few inches of water, some artificial vegetation and several rare Blanding’s turtles. A similar lineup of tubs, but with much less water, contain equally rare wood turtles. And four 60-gallon pools hold federally endangered Plymouth red-bellied cooters.
All of the turtles are less than a year old, and all are part of research projects designed to boost their populations by raising hatchlings in captivity for their first year until they are less vulnerable to predation. After a year in captivity, the animals are returned to the wild.
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Education
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Miscellany
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Photo from Todd McLeish/ecoRI News.
