Use of Mark-Recapture Techniques to Estimate Turtle Populations at the UWM Field Station
Information on long-term trends in reptile populations can yield useful conservation information. This is particularly true because long-term monitoring projects that involve reptile populations are relatively uncommon, especially in Wisconsin. In 2006 we began an annual turtle survey on the Field Station Grounds, lasting for three days each year in late May/early June. We set turtle hoop traps approved by the Wisconsin DNR in several locations, which we checked daily during annual surveys. All of the animals captured were marked via marginal scute notches, following a well-established system.