Conservation agencies and groups have been partnering for nearly two decades to release young alligator snapping turtles into four Oklahoma rivers as a way to restore the behemoth turtles in our state. After fine-tuning the release strategy and monitoring the growth and survival of the released turtles, the Wildlife Department is considering adding young turtles to more rivers. To find out which rivers are best suited as potential reintroduction sites we partnered with Missouri State University in 2018 to gauge the overall turtle community and habitat conditions of five river segments.
Survey Highlights
- More than 1,200 turtles were tagged and released as part of the survey; red-eared sliders made up nearly 70 percent of the captures. Eight species of turtles were documented, with the highest diversity rating in the Deep Fork River.
- Twenty alligator snapping turtles were found in two river segments. The majority were juveniles with an average weight of 9.6 pounds. The largest alligator snapping turtle captured and released during the study was a female that weighed 92.6 pounds.
- Alligator snapping turtles need different habitat characteristics at different stages of life. Survey sites with the turtles present typically had a low current, were shaded by a moderately full tree canopy and had tall, steep slopes.
- A stretch of the Neosho and Poteau rivers had reproducing populations of alligator snapping turtles that currently do not need to be supplemented. A second stretch of the Neosho River and its secluded tributaries are most suitable for future reintroductions.
This project was funded by ODWC’s State Wildlife Grants Program Grant F17AF01213 and Missouri State University.