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These turtles are considered juveniles until they reach about 5 inches long. In this part of their range turtles remain juveniles and usually do not begin to reproduce until they are over ten years old.
Photo taken at Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon.
These turtles are considered juveniles until they reach about 5 inches long. In this part of their range turtles remain juveniles and usually do not begin to reproduce until they are over ten years old.
Photo taken at Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon.
We glue transmitters onto their upper shells (called their carapace) using non-permanent epoxy. We will track these turtles until the transmitter battery dies (about 2 years) and soon after that the epoxy degrades, and the transmitter will fall off the turtle without harming the turtle or it's shell.
We glue transmitters onto their upper shells (called their carapace) using non-permanent epoxy. We will track these turtles until the transmitter battery dies (about 2 years) and soon after that the epoxy degrades, and the transmitter will fall off the turtle without harming the turtle or it's shell.
Northwestern pond turtles are sexually dimorphic (females and males look different). One way to tell female and male turtles apart is that they often have different color patterns on their face and throats. Females have a more speckled throat, while males throats tend to be more solidly white/yellow.
Northwestern pond turtles are sexually dimorphic (females and males look different). One way to tell female and male turtles apart is that they often have different color patterns on their face and throats. Females have a more speckled throat, while males throats tend to be more solidly white/yellow.
This is a juvenile turtle. When they aren't in scared or in danger, northwestern turtles are very curious and will look towards movements and unusual sounds to figure out what is going on. They have excellent vision and hearing.
Photo taken at Hills Creek Reservoir, Oregon.
This is a juvenile turtle. When they aren't in scared or in danger, northwestern turtles are very curious and will look towards movements and unusual sounds to figure out what is going on. They have excellent vision and hearing.
Photo taken at Hills Creek Reservoir, Oregon.
Turtle found in the spring coming out of brumation. It is still covered in mud from being buried in the ground all winter. They can brumate up to several months!
Photo taken at Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon.
Turtle found in the spring coming out of brumation. It is still covered in mud from being buried in the ground all winter. They can brumate up to several months!
Photo taken at Lookout Point Reservoir, Oregon.
Northwestern pond turtles often return to the same area each winter for brumation. We tracked this turtle overwintering in almost the exact same area in the winters of 2023 and 2024. It's brumation location was only 11m apart between the two years.
Photo taken at Fall Creek Reservoir, Oregon.
Northwestern pond turtles often return to the same area each winter for brumation. We tracked this turtle overwintering in almost the exact same area in the winters of 2023 and 2024. It's brumation location was only 11m apart between the two years.
Photo taken at Fall Creek Reservoir, Oregon.
This video presents the Spring 2025 Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment Spring Seminar by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Hosted by Allison Shipp, the seminar provides updates on how hydroclimatic changes and water management affect terminal lake ecosystems and waterbird populations.
This video presents the Spring 2025 Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment Spring Seminar by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Hosted by Allison Shipp, the seminar provides updates on how hydroclimatic changes and water management affect terminal lake ecosystems and waterbird populations.
The sixth and final webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on satellite observations of lake surface water dynamics. John W. Jones of the USGS Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch introduces the surface water and wetland remote sensing component of the Integrated Water Availability Assessment.
The sixth and final webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on satellite observations of lake surface water dynamics. John W. Jones of the USGS Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch introduces the surface water and wetland remote sensing component of the Integrated Water Availability Assessment.
The fifth webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on waterbird prey availability in Great Basin terminal lakes.
The fifth webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on waterbird prey availability in Great Basin terminal lakes.
The fourth webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on movement of bird species associated with Great Basin terminal lake ecosystems. Cory Overton of the Western Ecological Research Center gives an overview of the USGS bird movement monitoring strategy and presents results from the 2024 field season.
The fourth webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on movement of bird species associated with Great Basin terminal lake ecosystems. Cory Overton of the Western Ecological Research Center gives an overview of the USGS bird movement monitoring strategy and presents results from the 2024 field season.
The third webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on water-quality monitoring of Great Basin terminal lake ecosystems. Christine Rumsey of the Utah Water Science Center and Casie Smith of the Oregon Water Science Center give an overview of the USGS water-quality monitoring strategy and present results from the 2024 field season.
The third webinar in the Saline Lakes Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on water-quality monitoring of Great Basin terminal lake ecosystems. Christine Rumsey of the Utah Water Science Center and Casie Smith of the Oregon Water Science Center give an overview of the USGS water-quality monitoring strategy and present results from the 2024 field season.
The second webinar in the Saline Lake Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on physical and chemical monitoring in support of water budgets of select Great Basin saline lakes.
The second webinar in the Saline Lake Ecosystems IWAA Fall 2024 Webinar Series is on physical and chemical monitoring in support of water budgets of select Great Basin saline lakes.
USGS science supports management, conservation, and restoration of imperiled, at-risk, and endangered species. Endangered Species Day is commemorated in May, and we’re taking some time to find out just how one goes about studying at-risk species and what part cutting-edge technologies can play in helping us do the science that informs managers and policy makers.
USGS science supports management, conservation, and restoration of imperiled, at-risk, and endangered species. Endangered Species Day is commemorated in May, and we’re taking some time to find out just how one goes about studying at-risk species and what part cutting-edge technologies can play in helping us do the science that informs managers and policy makers.
In this episode we sit down with USGS wildlife biologist Joan Hagar and discuss her recent study on songbirds in the Pacific Northwest. New research indicates a possible relationship between reductions in the abundance of some species of songbird and reductions in the amount of deciduous trees in evergreen forests.
In this episode we sit down with USGS wildlife biologist Joan Hagar and discuss her recent study on songbirds in the Pacific Northwest. New research indicates a possible relationship between reductions in the abundance of some species of songbird and reductions in the amount of deciduous trees in evergreen forests.
There is a black box hidden beneath the forests of the Pacific Northwest, guarding the secrets to why the trees grow so large! The black box is soil, which harbors immense biological diversity and controls the release of water and nutrients that support the life above ground.
There is a black box hidden beneath the forests of the Pacific Northwest, guarding the secrets to why the trees grow so large! The black box is soil, which harbors immense biological diversity and controls the release of water and nutrients that support the life above ground.
Prescribed burns are a common tool used by land managers to control invasive plant species and to promote native plants. There are many benefits to using a prescribed burn as a management tool; however, controlling fire is often difficult as it can be unpredictable.
Prescribed burns are a common tool used by land managers to control invasive plant species and to promote native plants. There are many benefits to using a prescribed burn as a management tool; however, controlling fire is often difficult as it can be unpredictable.
Compared to the rich diversity of forests, sagebrush shrublands contain relatively few species. Yet, these shrublands in the western United States have incredibly complex dynamics that present major challenges for conservation. They are also one of the most imperiled habitats in North America, primarily due to invasive plant species.
Compared to the rich diversity of forests, sagebrush shrublands contain relatively few species. Yet, these shrublands in the western United States have incredibly complex dynamics that present major challenges for conservation. They are also one of the most imperiled habitats in North America, primarily due to invasive plant species.
The potentially lethal fungal disease chytridiomycosis has been associated with declining amphibian populations around the globe. This rapidly emerging disease, and the chytrid fungus that causes it, have forced scientists to scramble to learn more. There are still plenty of mysteries about the origin and spread of the fungus.
The potentially lethal fungal disease chytridiomycosis has been associated with declining amphibian populations around the globe. This rapidly emerging disease, and the chytrid fungus that causes it, have forced scientists to scramble to learn more. There are still plenty of mysteries about the origin and spread of the fungus.
