C-28 



Reasons for Decline : 



1. Destruction of bogs. 



2. Removal of large numbers of specimens from their colonies 

 by collectors. Bog turtles bring $100 to $150 or more per turtle in 

 pet stores and from individual sales. 



3. Drying up or pollution of cold, clear ground water and 

 seepage water sources above bogs can change bog habitat and drive 

 out turtles. 



4. Flooding, both natural (especially Hurricane Agnes), and 

 man-made (by dams) destroys bogs and colonies of turtles. 



Protective Measures Taken : 



1. Protected by state law in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey 

 and Maryland (Oct. 1972). Illegal to take, sell, transport or hold 

 these turtles, $1000 fine in Maryland; no enforcement or fines in 

 New Jersey; $10 in Pennsylvania. 



2. A single swamp has been bought by a naturalist to save one 

 colony of Bog Turtles. 



3. Extreme secrecy among Bog Turtles investigators and con- 

 servationists to prevent information about locales from being made 

 public. 



Protective Measures Proposed : 



1. Acquire known Bog Turtle bogs and swamps with adjacent 

 drainage basins to save from development. Possibly introduce turtles 

 to prime habitat in hopes of establishing new colonies. 



2. Set up state Bog Turtle sanctuaries. 



3. Strict fines and enforcement against purchase and sales by 

 pet dealers and collectors. 



4. Public education about value of bogs and wetlands and their 

 unique fauna. 



5. Continue censuses and life history studies to determine 

 localities, numbers and disturbances, (may be undertaken in 1973 by 

 James Weaver, for Smithsonian Institution) . 



