'Overwhelming Support' Helps Blanding's Turtles In Lake Co.

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Lake County Forest Preserves District has seen an overwhelming spike in financial support in December and January for its Blanding's turtles recovery program. The influx in funds helped the forest preserve district exceed its goal of $12,000.

"These funds will allow the Forest Preserves to hire seasonal field technicians and purchase equipment to support our Blanding's Turtle Recovery Program for the 2020 field season," according to information posted on the Lake County Forest Preserves District website.

The forest preserve district's Adopt-a-Turtle program has helped the forest preserve district reach its goal. In 2019, 134 people became "turtle champions" by adopting a baby Blanding's turtle.

Turtle champions donate $120 to the turtle recovery program, and in exchange, get to name their turtle. They also get to join forest preserve wildlife biologists for a presentation and opportunity to meet their turtle and receive a photo of their turtle's plastron, which is their unique underside.

As the turtle grows, forest preserve district officials send updates when the turtle is located and measured during population monitoring.

The Blanding’s turtle is a semi-aquatic turtle that was designated as endangered in the state of Illinois in 2009. Once likely common throughout Lake County, Blanding’s turtles have been documented from 17 localities since 1907, according to the Lake County Forest Preserve District website.

Of these, three populations are likely small and nonviable, 10 consist of only isolated observations or are relatively unknown, and one population has likely been extirpated due to habitat loss. Only one of the 17 known localities is currently known to contain both the number of animals and habitat needed to support a viable, free-ranging population of Blanding’s turtles—the Chiwaukee Illinois Beach Lake Plain (Lake Plain).

Along with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and Illinois Nature Preserve Commission, Lake County Forest Preserve District officials have been monitoring the Blanding’s turtle population within the Lake Plain since 2004.

The turtle recovery program was established due to low juvenile recruitment combined with unsustainable levels of adult mortality.

"The forest preserve district has been working to increase juvenile survival through 'head-starting,' where eggs are collected, incubated and hatchlings are held in captivity beyond the point of extreme predation," according to the Lake County Forest Preserve District website.

Those who donate to the Adopt-a-Turtle program between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, will support the district's 2020 hatchlings. Benefits, such as photos and tours will become available in late January 2021.

More via the Lake County Forest Preserves website

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