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BLANDING'S TURTLE "'! - Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook) ~j/ / / - ~ .~.-- ";{ (>" .r ~ ~':">:~"f,.,;-.\"",.,~.....~*",- ----. :-~, ~,_.-t'-'~.___ _ -,-- ..- ""--4':::\'~. <:::. (>._ _e/ '<~:. ;.~ ... --/.~; ~/...., \....~----- c- _ _, ' ,,- A ~~.~ . "'"'-< '....r'"_'''''~ ~~ ' ",- ">;.;, ,~ ~,," f!/^ ~~ ~"""-'~-......l"" i-- -_-~o~ ---_ ~ - ~ ~'~ --'~. I> .-..' ~." . "~ . .<,,~~~, I (.:i.... '-.; '-J . 6: .~" ; ~ ,- -... --'~ -~~ . e e e1988. Stale of Minnesota. Ven. Min& Woni OFFICIAL STAreS: Threatened BASIS FOR STATUS: Although formerly more widespread. the Bland4 ing's turtle is now restricted to a small number of stAtes and provinces in the Upper Midwest. stretching from Nebraska eastward to Michigan. On. tario. and Quebec. A smaller remnant population. spanning portions of a few New England Slates, as well as a number of scauered populations throughout the Nonheast. testify to the lurtle's more e~panded range in earlier times. Minnesota lies on the nonhwest periphery of the species' range. An extensive area of sand dunes and marshes along the Mississippi River. south of the town ofKeUogg. is recognized as a majorconcemration area for the turtle and may be one of the largest breeding populations in its entire range. Elsewhere in the state, the Blanding's tunle has a more spouy distribution. following the Mississippi and 5t. Croix rivers nonh~ ward into easH:entral Minnesota and the Minnesota River westward into the south-central portions of the state. Two recent records from Pipestone COU~ltyalso confirm the species' presence in the Missouri Ri'.'er drainage of extreme southwestern Minnes0t3. As a marsh inhabitant the recent destruction ofwetla~d habitats by drain~ age and/or inundation for agricultural 'purposes. river channelization. and water impoundment has greatly decreased available habitat for the species. Like other turtles. the Blanding's turtle is also vulnerable 10 collecting as a desirable pet species ($45 for a 15 to 20 centimeter turtle); it is easily col- lected in areas where it is abundant. especially during me neiting season. The species' life history also makes this tunle particularly susceptible to human disturbances. as evidenced by a long tenn and intensive study of the population inhabiting the Kellogg Dunes (Pappas. personal communi- cation). Some feaNTes contributing to this susceptibility are late matura- tion. low reproductive potential (one clutch/season). long~hved adults. and high mortality of eggs and juveniles. Population and repnxtuctive dy~ namics suggest viable populations of Blanding's tunles are dependent on large numbers of animals and adequate areas of undisturbed habital. PREFERRED HABITAT: The preferred habitat of the Blanding's turtle includescalrn. shallow water. rich; aquatic vegetation and sandy uplands for nesting. Studies by CongdOlI elal. (1983) in Michigan and by Linck (personal communication) in Massachusetts have shown that nesting fe- males may travel considerable distances (200 to 400 meters) to a nesting area. passing enroute what appears to be suitable nesting habitat immedi- ately adjacent to the marsh in w.hich they reside. AID TO IDENTIFICATION: Blanding's turtle is medium-sized. averag- iog IS to 2S centimeters in length. The species' most diagnostic field char~ acteristics are its smooth. domed upper shell. or carapace, and its bright yellow neck. throat. and chin. The carapace usually appears bluish black.. with ;;umerous sp.ed:s of yellow throughout. The lower shell. :>r plastron. is bright yellow with black patches on the outside margin. In general. the adult male can he distinguished from the female by its slightly indented plastron and longer tail. The most distinct fealUrc of the plastron is the hinge, which allows the lUrtle to raise the plastron upward and provide more protection to the soft extremities that it has pulled inside the shell. For this reason me species is often referred to as a "semibo;w;" turtle. RECOMMENDATIONS: Efforts to identify, protect, and preserve pre- ferred habitats of lhis species should be continued. panicularly where populalions are locally abundant. Additional information on the species' local distribution and abundance should also be collected to allow an ac- curate assessment of its current status and to aid in protection efforts. SELECTED REFERENCES: Breckenridge 1944: Conant 1975; Con- gdon et al, 1983;Ewert 1982; Graham and Doyle 1977: McCoy 1973; Yogt 1981. Blanding's. Turtle: adult viewed from above nop) and below (bonom): ..ide view shown in silhouette. C::;[':;':-. ...~ ~!.,l L~F/;:;::"',"'T1U~i:::'", (ol;.). 198:5. /'~m,".L"~"_ 'L-"::':".c:I~.!. '~L ~ :-::' ~- ~" lni;'~""~J' oi M~:me.s.c~a Press.. ML'1Jleapoh~ for lhc Min-.c:;;o'" 1~',,,p' "f ','.., -__._i ',' ~ . _ .. _......... i..... j <h:..o... ,~_~..: