In May 2003 I had the privilege of accompanying my advisor, Dr. Whit Gibbons, on a trip to Kiawah Island, to sample diamondback terrapins in the South Carolina salt marsh. Whit has been studying this population of terrapins for over 20 years and has seen a decline due primarily to bycatch of turtles in crab traps.
Whit literally met us with the boat as we pulled in, and in no time we were on our way into the salt marsh. Although Whit's boat handling may at first seem somewhat on the out-of-control side, he knows the marsh well and can navigate through the shallowest channels at top speed.
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| We headed out to a salt marsh creek where Whit has marked terrapins for over 20 years. We unrolled our nets and got into the muddy water to start seining. Seines are long nets that are strung across the creek and dragged through a stretch of likely habitat. You can often spot the turtle heads popping up just ahead of the net as you go. |
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| Our first seine hall yielded several terrapins, most of which had been marked in previous years. |
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| This old male was the beauty of the bunch. A check of the records revealed that he had graced the cover of at least one magazine in the past. Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). |
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| We measured and weighed all the turtles and marked new captures before their release. |
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| We also set trammel nets across deep holes where many terrapins were spotted. These nets are designed to entangle any turtles that swim into them and they are left in place for an hour or so between checks. |
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| The trammel nets yielded several large female terrapins which are strong swimmers and hard to catch in seines. Pictured here is SREL grad student Brian Todd, only minutes before he was stung by a stingray that had become entangled in a trammel net. |
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In
addition to terrapins and stingrays, the trammel nets also captured
many blue crabs and fish, including this young shark. |
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That
night there was a lunar eclipse and we decided to go walk the
beach in hopes that we might come across a nesting sea turtle.
Although I really didn't expect to find one, it was a nice night
for a walk so we headed out. As luck would have it, not 100 yards
down the beach we spotted a large form making its way back from
the dunes to the water. Since she was on her way back to the sea
we were able to get up close to her and get some photos, what
an experience! Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). |
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The
next morning, just as the sun was beginning to warm the island,
we headed out to some dune habitat to look for some other herps.
We soon happened upon a perfect piece of drift wood washed up
high on the dunes... and what did it conceal? |
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A
Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum). Dunes
are one of the few habitats in the Southeast where this species
is common. |
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A little more searching revealed several Eastern Glass Lizards (Ophisaurus ventralis); another dune speciality.
