Density, habitat use, movements, and conservation of spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) in Massachusetts

We estimated population densities, home ranges, habitat use, and seasonal movement patterns of spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata), at two sites in central Massachusetts by radio-tracking 26 individuals between late March and December 1993 to 1995. We estimated densities of 0.2 and 1.4 adults per ha. Most turtles exhibited a seasonal pattern of emergence from overwintering sites, overland travel to seasonal pools, female nesting excursions, overland travel to estivation sites, and overland travel to overwintering sites. Mean home range area was 3.5 ha (range = 0.2-34.4 ha) home range length was 313 m (range = 115-1125 m) and maximum distance traveled from hibernacula averaged 265 m (range = 75-1025 m). Home range areas were smaller in two years with below normal precipitation levels than in a wet year. Home range characteristics did not differ between sites or sexes. Home range areas and lengths were generally larger than those reported from other studies of spotted turtles, likely because we radio-tracked turtles for longer periods and included all movements in our analysis. Use of seasonal pools was greater than availability at both sites. Twenty-five of 26 turtles spent 20-150 cumulative days per year ((x) over bar = 80) foraging, basking, and mating in seasonal pools. Although use of upland habitat was less than availability, overall use was substantial: 20 of 26 turtles aestivated for periods of 2-93 days per year ((x) over bar = 30) in upland habitats less than or equal to 412 m from permanent wetlands and 10 of 12 females nested in fields 75-312 m from permanent wetlands. Twenty-four of 26 turtles nested or estivated well outside the 30 and 60 m-wide upland buffers protected under Massachusetts' Wetlands Protection Act Protection of complexes of seasonal pools and permanent wetlands bordered by substantially larger areas of upland habitat will be necessary if viable populations of spotted turtles are to be protected.