Task Force Turtle

A collaborative team of undergraduates and professors from @washcoll and @FandMCollege interested in #turtle #behavior, #ecology, and conservation #STEM #HERper

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

Check out this HD (check your settings!) snippet from #SNAPPERCAM - a female snapping #turtle, navigating through her swampy home! Footage like this is teaching us tons about #cognition, #behavior, and #ecology in wild turtles! A big win for #herpetology!

[Dmitri Petrov @PetrovADmitri]

It is with profound sadness I relate the news that I just heard. Richard Lewontin died this morning. He was in poor health and passed away three days after his wife of many years, Mary Jane. He left an indelible mark on the field and will be remembered with deep admiration.

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

We're "shellebrating" #turtletuesday with some wise words -- "...Mama always said life was like a hoop net... you never know what you're gonna get..."

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

Next up for student intros…. meet Kyle, a rising senior and PA native majoring in Biology. Kyle’s focus is on physiological, and sensory aspects of overland movements in painted #turtles during vernal #migration. Welcome, Kyle!

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

Meet our PAID research interns! First up, Josephine - an Alabama native majoring in Animal Behavior, and a new #HERper. Her sharp intellect and "go for it" attitude have already contributed so much to our work this summer. Welcome, Josephine!

[Royal Society Publishing @RSocPublishing]

#BiologyLetters via @NatGeo | A gray whale swam halfway across the world, setting a new record https://t.co/kRwRPbBAFl

[Teacher2Teacher @teacher2teacher]

Check out T @katiemartinedu's top 4 tips for promoting a learner-centered classroom: https://t.co/sppcJstKpJ #StuChoice #ChampForKids

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

We're BAAAAAAAAACK...... we're easing back into social media after a LONG hiatus. just like this radiotagged (radio by @holohil , of course!) snapping #turtle is easing its way into this pond! Field season is in full swing!

[Animal Conservation @AnimalConserv]

#Chytrid fungal pathogen, Bsal, doesn’t infect but elicits stress in spotted #salamanders - read the paper for FREE via https://t.co/FBNouHDhKM #herptwitter @ATPsciencegirl

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

As we celebrate Charles Darwin today, we at Task Force Turtle want to call attention to the pervasiveness of depression, impostor syndrome, and self doubt among even the greatest minds. Even Darwin got down on himself, and often. It is real, and it is OK

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

@AlgonquinWRS @OntarioTurtleCC @AlongsideWild @amphibs @canuck_herps @ssarherps @ASIHCopeia @TurtleSurvival @TurtleGuardians WHOA! We've NEVER seen this (though we are not out in the wintertime much), but we do have core body temp data that are way, WAY low for our animals that overwinter out of the water (most of ours do)

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

On this #WildlifeWednesday, we at Task Force Turtle still can't say for sure if bears do it, but by going through some camera traps from this summer, we can state categorically, that yes, foxes do s*&t in the woods.... and smile while doing it!

[Melissa Crytzer Fry @CrytzerFry]

Hey #herpetologists and #bird lovers... Probably the BEST video we've ever gotten. This is a wifi security cam my husband set up remotely. How do you think THIS ended?

[Houston Chandler @TheSnakeDude]

Dense road networks fragment habitat and contribute directly to mortality in many species. This ~4 ft EDB failed in its attempt to cross a road yesterday. Mortality events from #roadkill can contribute to local extinctions and are a significant concern for many #reptiles.

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

@DrAPlace Good luck! Boldness is the key to a life well lived!

[Nat Moss 💚 @NatMoss]

Microplastics ‘significantly contaminating the air’, scientists warn https://t.co/EXiW5aygPS

[Dan Goff @dgoff17]

Thought we saw an injured bald eagle on the St. Croix River tonight. He wasn't injured #wow

[Prof Michael E. Mann @MichaelEMann]

"Alaska's Governor Is Sabotaging a Crucial Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change" | My latest commentary in @Newsweek: https://t.co/n8dZqsqEZD

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

This #wildlifeWednesday, we're taking a temporary break from #turtles - GASP - and highlighting our recent paper with @DrAPlace and Travis LaDuc on evolutionary patterns in learning and decision making in #snakes - rattlesnakes and their relatives! https://t.co/2WCJi3uscW

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

@guilvegane The camera is a custom built HD camera - it's low profile (~1.25") so it's out of the way. They're affixed to the shell via marine epoxy - very commonly used in wildlife applications - or indirectly via a small swivel hinge so the camera can move if a barrier is encountered.

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

We're shellebrating #TurtleTuesday with another snippet from #SNAPPERCAM! This #turtle is migrating through a wet wood to her Fall-Winter home - an upland bog. Watch closely for some trail cams we have monitoring her route - we're on the lookout for new turtles coming this way!

[Task Force Turtle @TaskForceTurtle]

@keith__chenier Thanks! We combine shell-mounted video, GPS recorders, and radiotelemetry data, and often, pharmacology and neuroscience study Turtle migration and to inform conservation and management decisions. We post video snippets from time to time, and often tweet about our findings