Turtle Research Assistant
The Wetlands Institute, located in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, is seeking qualified applicants for a seasonal Research Assistant position to assist with long-term study of Diamondback Terrapins. Primary responsibilities include assisting with mark-recapture surveys for...
Around the Marsh
2021 Terrapin Highlightsby Brian Williamson, Research Scientist The summer of 2021 was another successful year for our terrapin research and conservation program. Although it was the 30th year of our terrapin project, we had many firsts this year. For the first time...
Wetlands Institute Receives Diamondback Terrapin Grant from Quest for the Best
In July, Quest for the Best Foundation awarded the Institute with a two-year grant of $82,698 to support the Diamondback Terrapin Conservation program. Grant funds are in support of the headstarting program, mark and recapture work, intern support and the Terrapins in...
Tracking Terrapins in the Marsh
by Brian Williamson In an effort to fill gaps in our knowledge of behavior and survival of juvenile terrapins, we initiated a telemetry study to track movements of head-started juvenile terrapins this summer. We are partnering with Cellular Tracking Technologies...
Nesting Season is Here!
by Brian Williamson As the weather warms up and vacationers begin to arrive, local turtles, especially nesting diamondback terrapins, will be on the move as well. Here are some guidelines for what to do, and not do, if you see a turtle this summer. Be aware of turtles...
Terrapins in the Classroom
by Dr. Lisa Ferguson Our kids are not the only ones headed off to school in the fall. Each year, we send diamondback terrapin hatchlings to spend the school year with teachers who are trained and permitted to raise the turtles with their students through our Terrapins...
Citizen Conservationist Award
by Dr. Lisa Ferguson This year, we were grateful to recognize all the contributions Homer Wesolowski has made to The Wetlands Institute – and our conservation and research projects - with the 2017 Citizen Conservationist Award. In 2011, Homer Wesolowski came to The...
The Wetlands Institute Receives Disney Conservation Grant
Stone Harbor, NJ, May 4, 2017 – The Wetlands Institute has been awarded a $23,700 grant from the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) as a part of the Fund’s focus on reversing the decline of at-risk wildlife around the world. The conservation grant recognizes The Wetlands...
Changing Times for Terrapins
by Brian Williamson, Research Scientist After many years of being legally harvested in New Jersey, we are very happy to announce that a bill has been passed to officially remove diamondback terrapins from the game species list. The bill was originally proposed in...
25 Years of Turtle Releases
by Roberta Dean When reading The Wetlands newsletter this winter, I was drawn to the news about this year marking the 25th Anniversary of the Diamondback Terrapin Conservation Project. I immediately realized what that meant to me -- I would be preparing for my 25th...
Great News for Terrapins!
Dear Terrapin Conservation Supporters, More good news! New Jersey’s Senate Environment and Energy Committee and Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources committees recently met to consider Bill S-1625 and A-2949 to classify diamondback terrapins a as non-game...
25 Years of Protecting Diamondback Terrapins
by Brian Williamson If you spend time at the shore, you probably are familiar with diamondback terrapins. They are our local saltmarsh turtle; unique in that they are the only reptiles that thrive in this habitat. They are most often seen when the females come out of...
25 Years of Terrapin Conservation and Research
Research and Conservation of Diamondback terrapins at The Wetlands Institute (1989 – 2015) Distribution and Ecology Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) inhabit brackish waters of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. More closely related to...
25 Years of Terrapin Patrols
This year marked our 25th year of conducting patrols to save nesting terrapins and document their use of our local roads during the busy nesting and summer tourism seasons. Over these years, we’ve documented roughly 500 terrapins (an average of 492 to be exact) killed...
Attention Crabbers: Terrapin BRD’s Available!
Diamondback terrapins often become trapped in crab pots, attracted by bait and trapped animals. Because terrapins require access to the surface in order to breathe, they often drown in crab pots. To prevent the loss of terrapins in traps, New Jersey law requires...