North Wake News

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Coastal Management, along with several partners, is calling for volunteers to participate in the 2025 Terrapin Tally. This initiative aims to gather population data on diamondback terrapins in North Carolina.

The Terrapin Tally involves kayak surveys at specific times and routes to capture a snapshot of terrapin populations. These efforts help identify population trends over time. Volunteers must attend a training session where they will learn how to use a smartphone application for data collection and sign up for field sessions scheduled from April 25 through June 15.

Elizabeth Pinnix, Coastal Reserve southern sites manager, stated, "Many NC Coastal Reserve sites provide ideal habitat for diamondback terrapins, and we are excited to continue these efforts for the 11th year alongside the NC Wildlife Resources Commission." She emphasized that the collected data is crucial for understanding population trends and making informed management decisions.

Diamondback terrapins inhabit salt marshes, estuaries, and mangrove swamps along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States. The species faces threats from habitat loss, coastal development, past commercial harvests, and fishing interactions. As a Species of Special Concern in North Carolina, monitoring their populations provides valuable insights into their status and distribution.

Hope Sutton from NCWRC remarked on the value of past Terrapin Tally events: "Data from the past ten years of Terrapin Tally events has helped point us to areas where further study is needed and has supported management actions that provide additional protection in specific coastal areas."

Training sessions will be held on April 12 both virtually via Zoom and in-person at designated locations. Participation requires attending one training session. Data collection sessions are planned between late April and mid-June across various coastal sites.

The project includes numerous federal, state, and local partners covering areas from Carteret County to Brunswick County. Sites involved include Cape Lookout National Seashore, Rachel Carson Reserve, Calico Creek among others.

For more information or registration details visit https://sites.google.com/view/terrapintallync or contact terrapin.tally.nc@gmail.com.