NAFTRG Conducts Turtle Surveys in Texas

by Heather Lowe 

The North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group completed its twelfth sampling session of Comal Springs in New Braunfels, Texas on the weekend of February 13-15, 2015. Despite conflicting with the Valentine's Day holiday, the volunteers' love for turtles prevailed! A small but determined research crew captured 323 turtles in just two and a half days.

Water levels were back to normal after a period of good rain and many of the areas that had been avoided previously (due to low water) were finally sampled for the first time in more than a year. The crew captured many turtles that they had not seen since 2013.

This trip puts the totals for the three years of research at Comal Springs to 3,317 marked individuals with 4,588 total captures.

The next sampling event at Comal Springs is scheduled for May 15-17. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Eric Munscher at emunscher@turtlesurvival.org.