Center for the Inland Bays launches a new effort to support Diamondback terrapins

Rehoboth Beach, DE – On August 7th, 2020, the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays completed its first season of monitoring Diamondback terrapin nesting activity at their newly installed terrapin “garden” located at the Delaware Seashore State Park. These constructed sandy patches provide nesting habitat for females that would otherwise be forced to cross busy roadways in search of suitable areas to lay their eggs. 

Diamondback terrapins are the only true estuarine – mix of salt and freshwater – turtle in North America and spend their entire lives in bays, creeks, and salt marshes. They play an important role in helping to maintain healthy marsh ecosystems by eating salt marsh snails that feed on smooth cordgrass. This iconic species is most commonly seen around the Inland Bays during the warmer months, particularly between May – July as females come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. Unfortunately, prime terrapin nesting habitat is becoming increasingly scarce due to coastal development. Females are frequently struck by vehicles while attempting to cross roadways (e.g., Route 1) looking for sufficient nesting grounds. 

In direct response to this, the Center is constructing a series of terrapin gardens with support from the Pegasus Foundation, Pettus-Crowe Foundation, and the Diamondback Terrapin Working Group. On June 9th, 2020, a pilot garden was constructed near the Center’s headquarters along the Indian River Bay at the Delaware Seashore State Park.

“In addition to providing much needed nesting habitat, these gardens will serve as an opportunity to shed light on some of the greatest threats that terrapins face – particularly linked to human activity – and the importance of community engagement to protect populations in the Inland Bays,” says Lisa Swanger, the Center’s Education and Outreach Coordinator. 

Following the successful construction of the pilot garden, Center staff monitored the site three days per week through August 7th to document evidence of any terrapin nesting and/or predator activity. No nests were found during the first year – it is not uncommon for it to take a few years before terrapins find and use the gardens. The Center plans to continue to monitor the garden each nesting season to study terrapin nesting success over time. An additional two terrapin gardens will be constructed in 2021 in collaboration with communities on the Bays. The Center’s long-term goal is to expand the project, supporting terrapin nesting activity in the Inland Bays while also providing outdoor interpretive sites that engage the public. For more information, visit the Center’s website at www.inlandbays.org.

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is a non-profit organization established in 1994, and is one of 28 National Estuary Programs. With its many partners, the Center works to preserve, protect and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays and their watershed.