The Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is the smallest turtle species in North America, and is among the smallest in the world. This rare and diminutive animal is closely-tied to open, spring-fed, wet grass or sedge meadows, or bogs. Its habitat is fragile, and frequently disturbed or developed, resulting in local extirpation. Illegal collecting of this federally-threatened species is also a significant threat. These wary turtles are sometimes seen basking on tussocks, but will retreat into burrows if disturbed, making them quite difficult to find (Conant & Collins, 1998; Maryland DNR site). In Maryland, this globally rare (G3) turtle is considered state-threatened, and ranked as S2 (state-rare), and vulnerable (Maryland DNR website). The IUCN Redlist considers this species to be critically-endangered due primarily to habitat loss and collection (van Dijk 2016, IUCNredlist.org).
There are 196 records in the project database.
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