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About the Program

Terrapin Nesting Project

STATUS

Ongoing / Partner Program

Region

New Jersey, United States

Protected Species

Diamondback Terrapin

Malaclemys terrapin terrapin

Vulnerable

About the Program

The Terrapin Nesting Project (TNP) is located in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. This program, founded in 2011 by educator Kathy Lacey, focuses on the conservation of the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin), a turtle native to the coastal marshes of the East Coast. A unique feature of the species is that it lives in brackish water and is called Diamondback Terrapin due to the beautiful pattern on its shell. The Turtle Conservancy has been supporting the TNP in the conservation and protection of this sensitive species since 2016.

Help us raise funds to help this important initiative

Fundraising Goal: $50,000

To to support education, more hatcheries, and nest monitoring in 2025

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Help us raise funds to help this important initiative

Historically, the sweet meat of Diamondback Terrapins has been heavily consumed at gourmet restaurants. The turtles are no longer collected for food but still suffer from many human-related threats such as commercial fishing and bycatches. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and the presence of roads negatively affects the reproduction of the species. Additionally, their nests, hatchlings, and adults are commonly consumed by such predators as racoons, ravens, gulls, foxes, or rats. Finally, due to their beautiful, unique shells, Terrapins are still highly coveted for the pet trade and occasionally poached out of the wild.

Terrapin Nesting Project

Volunteer releasing a hatchling in the wild

Terrapin Nesting Project

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) hatchling

Terrapin Nesting Project

Volunteers digging up a nest

How we protect the species

The program focuses on protecting nests sites and maintaining them suitable for females, as well as managing hatcheries where eggs are incubated and newly hatched turtles are released in the wild. Volunteers, who help vulnerable females while they lay eggs, collect data, raise awareness in local communities, and even patrol roads to help females while crossing . Re-beaching initiatives also help create new and better nesting sites for females. The program—which has enabled tens of thousands of hatchlings to be rewilded—is releasing more turtles every year.

The TNP's success was further bolstered by the involvement of numerous local families, Girl Scout and Brownie groups, 4-H programs, college students, and others through their adopt-a-nest program. Community engagement grows each year, spreading awareness of terrapins on Long Beach Island and those threats facing the global environment.
To protect Diamondback Terrapins and their nests through education and volunteer commitment: https://www.terrapinnestingproject.org

Partners

Terrapin Nesting Project