Western Pond Turtle (Clemmys marmorata)

Photo By: Chris Brown, USGS. Source Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Clemmys_marmorata.jpg 

           There are many different local, state, and federal agencies that work with western pond turtles in the State of Oregon. State and local NGOs are also active in western pond turtle conservation and habitat restoration. Because there are so few federal and state guidlines it falls to each individual agency or organization to create their own conservation status and possible management plan for the western pond turtle. Agencies and organizations in the state of Oregon are invested in trying to keep western pond turtles off the endangered species list through diverse conservation and management strategies. There are two sub-species of western pond turtle, the north-western pond turtle and the south-western pond turtle. According to a report by Jeff Lovich, the United States Geological Survey, the Western Ecological Research Center, and the University of California, the western pond turtle is listed federally as a species of concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as well as sensitive by the Bureau of Land Management. It is important to note, that "In 1992 the Fish and Wildlife Service was petitioned to consider the species for listing under the provisions of the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973. After formal review the Service declined to list the species" (Lovich, et al., 1998). Oregon's Threatened and Endangered Species Program, managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife lists Western Pond Turtles as SC. This means they are a "sensitive species...for which listing as threatened or endangered would be appropriate if immediate conservation actions were not taken" (Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, 2004). The USFWS lists western pond turtles as SoC or Species of Concern. This status is given to "taxa which the USFWS is reviewing for consideration as candidates for listing under the ESA" (Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, 2004). Western Pond Turtles are also listed as "imperiled" in the state of Oregon by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. NatureServe lists the western pond turtle as G3 or Vulnerable in the state of Oregon.

          According to the USFWS's website there have been no critical habitat ruled published, Candidate Conservation Agreements, nor Habitat Conservation Agreements made in Oregon. The Habitat Conservation Agreements that have been made were made in Washington and California. (United States Fish & Wildlife Service, 2009). The lack of available habitat conservation agreements in Oregon should be of concern especially given the threatened and sensitive status of this species. Ultimately, it falls to each agency or organization to develop rules and management strategies for western pond turtle populations on their land.

         The Environmental Impact Assessment for the West Eugene Wetlands in 2005 is of particular importance for this project. The EIA identified "...the effects of each alternative on the western pond turtle and western meadowlark special status wildlife species". Alternative A was no action, alternative B was minimal maintenance, alternative C included selected rare spices habitat maintenance, enhancement, and expansion, while alternative D included habitat type maintenance, enhancement, and expansion. While the details of each alternative are beyond the scope of this page, the fact that the western pond turtle was given special consideration. In addition, “WEW is considered a major part of a proposed reserve system (Willamette Ecosystems Reserve Matrix). This reserve system envisions “major and minor notes” (of turtle populations) linked by corridors allowing for short-term dispersal and eventually long-term gene flow (Holland, 1993b). Fern Ridge Reservoir to the west of the WEW is another key part of this reserve with one of the larges aggregations of western pond turtles remaining in the Willamette drainage" (Environmental Assessment No. OR090-05-03, BLM). The WEW population are important for long term geneflow and diversity. Hopefully the results of our monitoring program will be useful both in the creation of future management plans and as a reference for future monitors. 

Written by: David Dunkley

Cited Sources: 

Environmental Assessment No. OR090-05-03 West Eugene Wetlands Schedule EA. October, 2005. BLM.

               Online. Available: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/eugene/plans/files/EDO_pln_08_02_06.pdf.

Lovich, Jeff, United States Geological Survey, et al. "Western Pond Turtle Clemmys marmorata". 1998. Online.

               Available: http://www.blm.gov/ca/pdfs/cdd_pdfs/clemmys1.PDF.

               Accessed: 03/14/09.  

NatureServe. 2009. Explorer: Actinemys marmorata. Online. Available:

               http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?sourceTemplate=tabular_report.wmt&loadTemplate=species_RptComprehensive.wmt&selected 

               Report=RptComprehensive.wmt&summaryView=tabular_report.wmt&elKey=102191&paging=home&save=true&startIndex=1&nextStartIndex=1reset=fa  

               lse&offPageSelectedElKey=102191&offPageSelectedElType=species&offPageYesNo=true&post_processes=&radiobutton=radiobuttonselectedIndexes=102191.

               Last updated: 02/06/09. Accessed: 03/14/09.

Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center. 2004. Rare, Threatened and Endangered

               Species of Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon State University,

               Portland, Oregon. 105 pp.  

United States Fish & Wildlife Service. 2009. Online. Species Profile:

               Northwestern Pond Turtle. Online. Available:

               http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/SpeciesReport.do?spcode=C04U.

               Accessed: 03/14/09.

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