The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, in collaboration with Missouri State University researchers, is set to release alligator snapping turtles into state waters in autumn of this year. The juvenile turtles, raised at the Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma, will be tagged and released into an area of the Neosho River, which is part of the Mississippi River watershed. These turtles, between 6 and 8 years old, are the largest species of freshwater turtle, with males typically weighing between 155 and 175 pounds.
According to a press release from the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, alligator snapping turtles from the hatchery have been successfully reintroduced in states such as Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Reintroduction stockings of approximately 1,200 juvenile turtles have taken place on the Caney, Neosho, and Verdigris Rivers in northeast Oklahoma. Researchers will be able to track the tagged turtles to study their movements and will recapture them to determine survival and growth rates. The decline of alligator snapping turtles is attributed to habitat degradation and over-harvesting for their meat.
The establishment of alligator snapping turtles back into Kansas waters is challenging due to several dams that exist on each of the rivers. The release of these turtles into Oklahoma has not led to any captures in Kansas so far, likely because of these barriers. The first release of turtles is scheduled for the fall of 2024, with another release planned for 2025. This reintroduction effort aims to help restore populations of these prehistoric creatures that have been declining due to various threats.
Fox News Digital contacted Missouri State University researchers for additional information on this project and its significance. The collaboration between the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the researchers seeks to address the decline of alligator snapping turtles through these reintroduction efforts. With the ability to track and monitor the tagged turtles, researchers hope to gain valuable insights into their movements, survival rates, and growth patterns.
The effort to reintroduce alligator snapping turtles into state waters aims to address the decline of this species due to habitat degradation and over-harvesting. The release of these juvenile turtles into the Neosho River is part of a wider initiative to restore populations in various states, including Kansas. By tracking and studying these turtles, researchers hope to better understand their behavior and reproductive success in the face of threats such as dams and habitat loss.
Overall, the collaboration between the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and Missouri State University researchers represents a promising step towards conserving the alligator snapping turtle population. Through careful monitoring and reintroduction efforts, these prehistoric creatures may have a better chance at survival and thriving in the waters of Kansas and beyond.
