Natural History of Resident and Translocated Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) in Louisiana

作者：Bogosian Victor III^*

来源：Southeastern Naturalist, 2010, 9(4): 711-720.

DOI：10.1656/058.009.0406

Translocation is often considered a viable conservation strategy, despite the absence of species-specific post-translocation data. Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) populations have declined across their range and they may be considered candidates for translocation, but few studies have examined the response of individuals to movement events. I monitored M. temminckii with radiotelemetry in northwest Louisiana to provide baseline data regarding the species' response to translocation. I calculated average distances moved per day, measured water depths, and recorded growth of translocated and resident turtles. There was no observed mortality during the study, and translocated turtles gained mass and increased shell dimensions, indicating they effectively located resources after translocation. Resident individual shell dimensions increased, but some residents lost mass, possibly due to early recapture and reweighing dates. Movement distances were within the ranges reported by previous researchers. These data contribute baseline information concerning M. temminckii conservation biology.

• 出版日期2010-12