turtle and the system. Whereas, Dodd (1982) noted that filling of Spring 

 Lake occurred only once, he failed to point out that this activity was 

 discontinued because it was believed by the investigators (not Monsanto) 

 to be ineffective as an enhancement tool. The turtles are adapted to use 

 the ephemeral waters of spring and early summer, and are burrowed during 

 the other times of the year. The successional pattern of aquatic 

 macrophytes in shallow, permanent waters may not enhance the habitat for 

 mud turtles (see Springer and Gallaway, I98O), and we recommended to 

 Monsanto that pumping and filling be discontinued. 



From the above, it is clear that the value of the disjunct 

 populations of mud turtles is appreciated within the region in which they 

 occur, and steps have been taken to insure their survival. Each state 

 recognizes the populations to be endangered and, as such, the turtles are 

 beneficiary of protective measures. Further, each state is actively 

 pursuing research and enlighted management and protection measures for the 

 turtle and its habitat. The site of the largest known population is now a 

 nature reserve, and industry has provided large amounts of funding for 

 study of the turtle. 



PROPOSED FEDERAL ENDANGERED STATUS 



Dodd (1982) described The Endangered Species Act and various 

 amendments and executive orders as they relate to the proposed listing of 

 the mud turtle as endangered. An endangered species is one in danger of 

 extinction throughout all or a significant part of its range. The basis 

 for considering the mud turtle in danger of extinction centered around 

 Brown and Moll's (1979) contention that, in 1977, the total population of 

 this turtle had declined, since about the late 1960's, to not more than 

 650 individuals living at only one or two localities in Illinois, and one 

 in loweu Historically, the turtle had been known from some 13 localities 

 across the three-state area- including Missouri where, by 1977, it had 

 presumably been extirpated. The populations at the Illinois sites were 

 considered to be on the verge of extinction because of the small number of 

 individuals remaining there and detrimental land-use practices. The 

 situation for the population at the Iowa site, Big Sand Mound, was 

 described in the Status Report (Brown and Moll, 1979) as a "classic horror 

 story of economic growth versus a nearly extinct organism." 



In early 1977, Dodd was preparing lists of amphibians and reptiles 

 which might be candidates for federal protection but for which little 

 supporting data were on file. According to information in letters on file 

 in the Office of Endangered Species (OES) of the United States Fish and 

 Wildlife Service (USFWS), Dodd contacted Dr. Lauren E. Brown and requested 

 him to prepare an application to the OES proposing that the Illinois mud 

 turtle be declared endangered. Given this application, Dodd placed the 

 Illinois mud turtle on a Notice of Review and Dr. Brown was requested to 

 prepare a status report which strongly urged federal protection. 



In July 1978, the turtle was proposed as an endangered species (Dodd, 

 1978). Two areas were proposed as critical habitat — one at Big Sand Mound 



