Turtle Ops 2016

Preliminary Results showed turtles seem to have adjusted to the dense human population surrounding them. The areas we tested were maintained by the city as well as park staff. This means that the runoff jogging routes the turtles would bask around were cleaned and clear of harmful waste or rubbish. Ethnographic data showed the turtles were most comfortable along the west end of North Pond, an area close to the pond secluded by tall grass, milkweed and sunflowers. The spot was littered with logs and an upturned dead trees, it was far away enough from the joggers trail and street areas to be comfortably quiet and is exposed just enough to allow for perfect basking spots. The area is also near submerged aerators keeping the area especially algae free providing an ideal wading area for Geese and Wood Ducks