BOX TURTLESURVIVE


HELPING EASTERN


the photos by Sandhill Connection magazine


Winthrop biology gradu- ate student Sydney Grant is paid to follow turtles around.


Her work is for a good cause and contributes to understanding the eco- system in rural Chester- field, South Carolina.


Grant keeps an eye on about a dozen Eastern Box Turtles, who have tracking devices on them, so she can chart their movements and what habi- tats they favor. Her tracking takes place at South- ern 8ths Farm, which spreads out over 1,400 acres of hardwood trees, planted and native pine trees, reclaimed native grasslands and prairies, and several ponds, wetlands and streams.


Her field research, overseen by her faculty advisor, Kiyoshi Sasaki, an assistant professor of biology, is important in the survival of the turtles. The species was once common throughout the eastern United States but now has undergone declines, even in protected habitats.


“We are looking at what environments the turtles can best survive in,” Sasaki said. “We’re still at the beginning stage.”


Their work, which started in August 2022 when they were awarded a grant from Carolina Wild- lands Foundation, will continue for at least anoth- er year. Along with the grant comes access for the researchers to use on-site housing equipped with a microwave, refrigerator and shower, which beats staying in a tent, Sasaki said.


Turtles More Active in Spring and Summer When the turtles hibernated during the winter months, Grant visited the site about twice a month. Now that the temperatures have warmed


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up, Grant is in the field almost daily using radio telemetry to track the turtle’s movements.


“Though my analysis is not complete, it appears that the majority of the turtles in my study prefer habitats dominated by pine or hardwood trees and dense understory,” she said. “A few turtles have also been found crossing roads and linger- ing along roadside ditches.”


Grant will continue her research until she gradu- ates in December, and then will use her experi- ence to become a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.


Sasaki said that understanding how the turtles’ lives are affected by their habitat is essential in their long-term survival. In South Carolina, the Eastern Box Turtles are considered a moderate priority by the S.C. Department of Natural Re- sources.


Normally Eastern Box Turtles live in areas with less than a mile radius. The turtles at the South- ern 8ths Farm in Chesterfield have plenty of room to roam to look for the wild mushrooms, fallen fruits, slugs and worms on which they feed. Plus, on this particular farm, they live in a protect- ed area that is a wildlife sanctuary.


The 12 turtles that Grant tracks range in size and age. The young turtles can fit in the palms of her hands, while the older adults may measure up to 6 inches in length. They can take up to 10 years to reach breeding age, and they can live to be 100 years old.


Conservationists find that the primary causes of turtle decline are due to several reasons, mainly loss of native forests that the turtles favor. There are also road deaths and the occasional poach- ers or pet collectors looking to domesticate the turtles.


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