With the breeding season coming to a close, this year marked two major wins for our partners at the Terrapin Nesting Project in New Jersey. Kathy Lacey and her team were able to successfully release over 2,000 hatchling Northern Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) back into the estuaries and marshes of Long Beach Island. Through these efforts, they protected the nests from introduced predators and human development. The other major victory is the landmark decision to remove the turtles from the state game species list for hunting and fishing. Kathy, along with several other organizations successfully lobbied for the protection of this species, which has long been collected for the food trade and international pet trade. This will no longer be allowed in the state of New Jersey, as hunting pressure and habitat loss have severely endangered several populations of terrapins.
This season also saw close to 300 volunteers and the successful launch to the "Re-beach Your Yard" campaign. To learn more about this project, and see how you can become a volunteer, adopt-a-nest, or support the cause, please click here.