Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Derek Rosenberger
For Communication to Presenters & Mentors
jwitzig@olivet.edu, dwrosenberger@olivet.edu
Project Type
Other
Scholarship Domain(s)
Scholarship of Discovery
Presentation Type
Presentation
Abstract
The ornate box turtle (Terrepene ornata ornate) is a terrestrial turtle that averages four to five inches in length. Distinguishing features include its brownish shell with radiating yellow lines across the carapace. Males can be differentiated from females due to their bright red eyes, which females lack. These turtles are omnivores, their diet can consist of insects and berries. Its distribution range includes several states in the Midwest from Nebraska to Illinois and south to Texas. It is commonly found in sand prairies, grasslands, and woodlands and is known to travel through agricultural fields. The abundance and size of agricultural fields have limited and reduced suitable habitats for turtles. Automobile accidents and illegal collection have also played a role in decreasing population size. Conservation plans have focused on learning their habitat requirements and organizing habitat restoration projects.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) have worked with students from Olivet Nazarene University to track ornate box turtles in Iroquois County since 2020. In the summer of 2023 ONU Zoology students Joel Witzig and Yolanda Cooremans with some assistance from Stephanie Clark and Kathryn Bell, utilized radio telemetry to track the dispersal of these turtles. Turtles were tracked twice a week and records were kept on locations and observations. Altogether a total of seven turtles were monitored. Although not all turtles were monitored throughout the tracking period, enough data was provided to determine the areas in which they found suitable resources.
This project aims to monitor ornate box turtles after they have emerged from their overwintering burrows, during late spring and summer. We are looking to understand the distribution patterns and the habitat preferences of the native turtle. This information can then aid in conservation plans
Permission Type
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Tracking of Ornate Box Turtles Using Radio Telemetry in Iroquois County
Fishbowl
The ornate box turtle (Terrepene ornata ornate) is a terrestrial turtle that averages four to five inches in length. Distinguishing features include its brownish shell with radiating yellow lines across the carapace. Males can be differentiated from females due to their bright red eyes, which females lack. These turtles are omnivores, their diet can consist of insects and berries. Its distribution range includes several states in the Midwest from Nebraska to Illinois and south to Texas. It is commonly found in sand prairies, grasslands, and woodlands and is known to travel through agricultural fields. The abundance and size of agricultural fields have limited and reduced suitable habitats for turtles. Automobile accidents and illegal collection have also played a role in decreasing population size. Conservation plans have focused on learning their habitat requirements and organizing habitat restoration projects.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) have worked with students from Olivet Nazarene University to track ornate box turtles in Iroquois County since 2020. In the summer of 2023 ONU Zoology students Joel Witzig and Yolanda Cooremans with some assistance from Stephanie Clark and Kathryn Bell, utilized radio telemetry to track the dispersal of these turtles. Turtles were tracked twice a week and records were kept on locations and observations. Altogether a total of seven turtles were monitored. Although not all turtles were monitored throughout the tracking period, enough data was provided to determine the areas in which they found suitable resources.
This project aims to monitor ornate box turtles after they have emerged from their overwintering burrows, during late spring and summer. We are looking to understand the distribution patterns and the habitat preferences of the native turtle. This information can then aid in conservation plans