NATIVE TURTLE & AMPHIBIAN SURVEY
About this project
Turtle and amphibian populations are on the decline throughout the United States and the world. The causes for this decline are multiple including habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species (both plants and animals), chemical contaminants, and illegal collection. To conserve these increasingly at-risk species, we need to know where they are and assess the suitability of their existing habitat.
Over the last three years, the Foundation has supported visual surveys and amphibian egg mass counts in the Greater Portland area. This project is being led by the Oregon Native Turtle Working Group.
Some turtle and amphibian data is historic and many sites have not been revisited recently while other sites with presumably healthy habitat have never been surveyed.
The current effort is targeting sites that may be developed in the future or those that are the subject of near-term habitat restoration, stormwater improvements, or are areas where recreational use is anticipated to increase in the near future. The goal is to determine if Oregon Conservation Strategy reptiles and amphibians are present at these locations to ensure protection of and maximize benefits to these species during project planning and implementation. This is an ongoing effort that will require additional monetary support as more sites are targeted for survey.
Please join us in supporting native turtle and amphibian surveys by making your tax-deductible gift to the Turtle Survey Fund online by clicking here or with a check payable to “Oregon Wildlife Foundation” with a memo line note of “Turtle and Amphibian Survey Fund”. Your support is critical to the success of this effort!