Diamondback
Terrapin Study
Submit your sightings at
brevardzoo.org/diamondback
A diamond
in the marsh
Diamondback terrapins, native to the
brackish areas along the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts, were once considered very
tasty turtles. In the early 1900s, these
beautiful reptiles were a much sought-after
delicacy, and as a result, their populations
were heavily overharvested. These days,
terrapins are a protected species in several
states, but in Florida, scientists believe the
population may be in decline throughout
the Indian River Lagoon system.
In 2013, we began collaborating with
partners like the Florida Department of
15
Environmental Protection,
Indian River Lagoon Aquatic
Preserves (IRLAP), Florida Institute of
Technology and Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission to create and
promote an online reporting system to
collect enough data on these turtles to
support large-scale conservation efforts.
Because of the Zoo's and IRLAP's efforts,
the diamondback terrapin has been
recognized by a species in need and the
state has hired an employee to focus
on conservation efforts.
Gallery