This creates ideal habitat for bog turtles. In some areas, the water collects to form soft, muddy wet meadows, surrounded by clumps of grassy tussock sedges and other low-lying vegetation. In Pennsylvania, small, spring-fed streams trickle down South Mountain towards the sandstone valley below. How TNC is Protecting Bog Turtles Pennsylvania “If someone took a picture of a bog turtle and posted it on Instagram with the geolocation, a poacher could come in and wipe out a single bog turtle population in one night.”
![population count of the mountain duck population count of the mountain duck](https://goodstock.photos/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Mallard-Duck-Swimming-Through-Water.jpg)
Adam Warwick, TNC’s Southern Blue Ridge Stewardship Manager, explains the risk of exposing bog turtles to the illegal pet trade. When it floods, they will soak up water, which is gradually released to streams.īog turtles are also threatened by diminished water quality, mortality on roadways, growing populations of predators like raccoons and by reptile collectors who consider this rare turtle a valuable prize. The Southern Appalachians are a hotspot for salamanders unequaled anywhere else in the country. They are also valuable breeding habitat for amphibians, particularly for salamanders. Migratory birds such as woodcock, grouse, turkey and wood duck stop in for a visit. In addition to the bog turtle, bogs provide homes for four endangered species, including green pitcher plants, mountain sweet pitcher plants, swamp pink, and bunched arrowhead. Mountain bogs are important for a variety of reasons. Loss of critical mountain bog habitat poses a major threat to the southern population of bog turtles, which tend to occur at higher altitudes than the northern population. However, remaining habitats have become more isolated because of land development. Habitat loss and fragmentation and forest succession represent the primary reasons for the decline of this species. In the past, bog turtles could move to nearby habitat if conditions changed. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species List. The bog turtle is classified as federally-threatened on the U.S.