Demography of an Urban Population of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) in Texas
Eric Munscher1,2,*, J. Daren Riedle3, Arron Tuggle1,2, Jordan Gray2, Day B. Ligon4, Valeria Gladkaya2, Chris Drake2, Ross Couvillon5, Jonathon Bolton6, Madeleine Morrison2, Brian P. Butterfield7, and Andrew D. Walde2
1SWCA Environmental Consultants, Department of Natural Resources, 10245 West Little York, Road, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77040. 2Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 506 Hayter Street, Nacogdoches, TX 75965. 3Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, 512 SE 25th Avenue, Pratt, KS 67124. 4Department of Biology, Missouri State University, 901 South National Avenue, Springfield, MO 65897. 5University of Louisiana - Monroe, 700 University Ave, Monroe, LA 712099. 6BGE, Inc., 10777 Westheimer Road #400, Houston, TX 77042. 7Freed-Hardeman University, 158 East Main Street, Henderson, TN 38340.*Corresponding author.
Southeastern Naturalist,Volume 22, Special Issue 12 (2023): 221–235
Abstract
Understanding population demographics of Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) requires long-term studies. Most previous studies do not provide demographic population data. We conducted a mark–recapture study of M. temminckii inhabiting Buffalo Bayou in Harris County, TX, from October 2016 through August 2021. We captured 110 unique individuals during 465 trap nights and recorded 45 recaptures. We generated 8 biological metrics. Capture per unit effort varied from 0.267 to 0.547 turtles per trap-night, the population estimate was 173 turtles (95% CI:138–250), the sex ratio was 1.00 M:1.28 F, and density and biomass estimates were 4.43 turtles/river km and 89.9 kg/km, respectively. Given that anthropogenic risks to this urban population may increase, continued monitoring and research is warranted.
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