| Instructor's
Page ( John Wnek ) |
Marine
Academy of
Technology and Environmental Science
Project Terrapin
Marine Academy students
have been learning about natural resource conservation
and wildlife practices through an exciting, hands-on
project on Barnegat Bay. Students have been asked to
catch and monitor Northern Diamondback Terrapins.
This work is in conjunction with Drexel University and
is being conducted on NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
property in the Sedge Island Management Area
 
Summer
Teacher Workshop Lessons on Terrapins developed by educators
in our Teacher Researc Program in July 2005
Essence
of an Estuary (Elementary)
We
Share the Bay (Elementary)
Terrapin
(Middle Elementary)
Turtles
in the Bay (Elementary)
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Terrapins have
been tagged using Passive Integrated Transponder
Tags (PIT Tags) measuring 11.5 X 2 mm.
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Students constructed
Nest Protection Boxes to protect
nest on site
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The Sedge Island
Management Area on Barnegat Bay is an excellent
location for nesting terrapins
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Thanks to Jackie
and Tony Raniero for volunteering
much time and effort into the project on the Island
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The Lighthouse
Center is our other monitoring area of concern
with active traps. There is an EarthWatch Program,
researching terrapins in Barnegat Bay.
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Over 700 terrapins
have been tagged and processed through the fall
2005
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The tagging project
began on June 1 and our first terrapin has come
back on June 28, 2002 to dig another nest. We
had returns in June 2003. One terrapin came back
on June 23, 2003, the same date that she was first
caught on the Island last year! In fact, one terrapin
came back to nest three times in a single season
in 2003. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 we had a high
return on terrapins.
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Original funding
was through Learn and Serve America and current
funding is through the Ocean County Foundation
for Vocational Education and the Barnegat Bay
Environmental Grant Fund (2004 - 2005). An education
grant from the Barnegat Bay Estuary Program funded
some of our summer 2005 studies.
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Learning materials
on turtles, terrapins and sea turtles are available
through the MATES program
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