Trail Alerts

For updates on work at the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant, please visit www.sfwater.org/Peninsula

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Turtles Returned to Homestead

Patrick Kobernus with Western pond turtle
Earlier this month, SFPUC’s Crystal Springs Bioregional Habitat Restoration (BHR) project returned 11 Western pond turtles to Homestead Pond in the Peninsula watershed following restoration work.

Patrick Kobernus, the lead biologist on the project, was pleased to see that “the pond already has good food resources such as tree frog eggs and plants. Other wildlife have moved back into the pond and are already breeding.”

The turtles were relocated before habitat restoration began, as required by the California Department of Fish and Game. The watershed’s only native turtle species, these Western pond turtles spent 5 months at a care facility run by the Silicon Valley Turtle and Tortoise Club.

SFPUC environmental staff is monitoring the 8 female and 3 male reptiles.


The habitat restoration work at Homestead Pond, designed to mimic other ponds in the area, involved the removal of non-native plants and increasing the size of the pond. The enlarged pond provides more habitat for turtles, the California red legged frog and the San Francisco garter snake, among other native wildlife. Revegetation is continuing at the site.

Western pond turtle returning to Homestead Pond

6 comments:

  1. Very well done!Very nice website and presentation.

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  2. A very important activity...keep up the excellent work!

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  3. Thanks so much!
    You may wish to subscribe to this blog for future updates: see box in upper right hand side of page.

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  4. That's cool,... We have apond near by that has a few turtles but I don't know much about them. i've seen alot of box turtles around this year too.

    Can you tell me what kind of turtle this is? see the turtle with the black shell. He came out of the pond. We are in South Carolina.

    thanks,
    Michael

    A Few Pictures of Eastern Box Turtles

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  5. Hi Michael,
    Thanks for your note. It's hard to tell without seeing the turtle's head. Have you contacted any local turtle or reptile clubs in SC?

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    1. Hi,
      I did not, good idea. The head has red markinig on it but the feet are all black. I've on seen a couple of these. The near by pond is full of painted turtles.

      Michael
      Wild Mountain Turkey

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