Turtle Conservancy Research Assistant, Kylie Rude, presented preliminary findings from the our Southwestern Pond Turtle Program at this year’s Annual Symposium of the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

With support from lead TC Conservation Scientist Nathanael Stanek, and interns Boris Van Neer and Akshara Reddy, Kylie presented the scientific poster, “River-Reach Demography of the Southwestern Pond Turtle (Actinemys pallida): Early Insights from a County-Wide Monitoring Program,” which showcases early demographic data from multiple study sites across Southern California, taken by the TC research team since 2022. As we continue to monitor these populations year after year, we look forward to publishing our findings in the near future.

We are incredibly grateful for the support, collaboration, and tireless effort that brought this project to fruition. Special thanks to the Shanbrom Family Foundation for their continual support, and to Turtle Survival Alliance and IUCN SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group for hosting this important symposium.