Lori B. White and John L. Carr

Nesting habitat of the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) was studied at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Louisiana. Nests were located by conducting surveys around the periphery of the lake, which have been conducted intermittently since 1997. Most data were collected in the 2002–2006 period. Oviposition takes place during an approximately two-week period between the months of April and June. During 2004, 2005 and 2006, nest surveying was systematized to transects along shoreline segments. A total of 37 ovipositional sites were found containing 16 intact, 6 partially destroyed, and 15 destroyed nests. Twenty-eight nests were found along a railroad causeway adjoining the lake, eight along a forest–field edge, and one in forest. Data from the three years of surveys combined demonstrated that female Macrochelys selected the anthropogenic habitat along the railroad causeway as opposed to other shoreline habitat surveyed (9.33 vs. 1.06 nests/km of shoreline). Distinctive habitat parameters for the causeway included a relatively open canopy and steep slope in close proximity to the water.
Macrochelys Session: Oral (Student)

<< Back to Abstract Listing