Wikipedia/Diamond Back Terrapin.

MARGATE – After a very successful installation day last weekend with more than 30 volunteers, the Margate Terrapin Rescue Project is seeking volunteers for its Citizen Scientist program.

“While we try to make sure our barriers stop any terrapins from entering the road, inevitably, we do have some gaps that the terrapins take advantage of.  That is why we have our daily patrols,” program coordinatory Kimberly Lull Wiech said.

The organization is looking for reliable and passionate volunteers to act as citizen scientists to conduct research for the Margate Terrapin Rescue Project and other organizations that research the terrapin population.

Citizen scientists contribute their time and resources to conduct research used by environmental scientists.

“Since we are a small group, we cannot perform all the research ourselves,” Wiech said in a release.

Citizen scientists:

  • perform daily road patrols (walking or driving or combination) looking for any crossing terrapins, injured terrapins and deceased terrapins.
  • collect data on any sightings (alive, deceased, injured and nesting)
  • mark and protect terrapin nests with predator exclusion cages (after they have laid their eggs)
  • take injured terrapins to the Wetlands Institute or Stockton University for surgery or egg extraction

Patrols can be conducted any time of the day, especially at high tide when the most terrapin activity occurs. Volunteers can expect patrols to take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Volunteers will input data into iNaturalist, a free app that’s easy to download and use. Training will be provided.

Anyone interested in patrolling the causeway is asked to complete the Google Doc below and complete and sign a waiver for everyone in the patrolling unit. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.

Volunteers are asked to commit to conducting patrols the same day every week until mid-July, and possibly later to look for hatchlings.

📋Google Doc Link:  https://forms.gle/wdgkJNSxsEFLC6Ec9 📋

Anyone who notices a terrapin crossing the road is asked to always put them in the direction they were going.

For more information, contact the Margate Terrapin Rescue Project at admin@margateterrapinrescue.org.

 

 

 

 

Categories: Margate

Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.