Diamondback Terrapin Population Distribution and Nesting Areas in Coastal Georgia

The terrapin population range is small and the research is scarce. Surveil of the entire Georgia coast is the overarching goal of the research and the past four years have already resulted in 60% percent of the state completed and 1500 records accomplished. Coverage of the coastline will be continued in 2019 in the southernmost county, Cambden, and in 2020 completing the research in the northernmost county, Chathman. Diamondback terrapins are the only turtle to prefer brackish water habitats and are the first to be affected by sea level rising. Crab pots are a main factor in terrapin mortality. When they are collected, it is too late for the terrapin because they have already drowned (Butler and Heinrich 2007). Shoreline hardening makes it impossible for terrapins to journey onto land because they cannot cross the large rocks or cement walls. The work will be carried out utilizing a 16 foot Carolina skiff to navigate into rivers and creeks searching for evidence of terrapin presence. Capturing a live terrapin is not necessary. Evidence is found in the form of surfacing heads, intact and depredated nests, terrapin remains, live terrapins, and crawls (trails). One of the primary goals of the main conservation body of turtles; The Diamondback Terrapin Working Group (www.dtwg.org), is to identify the remaining locations of nesting and terrapin population so accurate management and categorization of terrapin information is carried out. We will create ARCGIS maps that illustrate geolocations reflecting our findings, and aid future researchers