3.8 Reptiles
strongly tied to sandy soils and large tracts of well-managed Longleaf Pine forests. Tey are extremely secretive during most of the year, but can be monitored by fnding them crossing roads when they become more active in the fall. A recent publication suggests that no discernable trend in the captures of Southern Hognose Snakes was found over a long-term study in the Sandhills (Beane et al. 2014) . However, outside the Sandhills, this species is extremely rare and infrequently encountered. Many coastal counties with historical records of the Southern Hognose Snake have no records within the last 20 years, despite considerable efort to detect the species.
Additionally, a mark-recapture study of fve species of snakes on Sandhills Game Land is currently being conducted by NCWRC biologists and volunteers. Species targeted for this research include Northern Pine Snake, Eastern Coachwhip, Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake, Corn Snake, and Southern Hognose Snake. Tis research is aimed at determining population size, relative abun- dance of each species, and other natural history aspects, such as movements and population status over time.
Southern Hognose Snake (Jef Hall, NCWRC)
3.8.1.3 Turtles North Carolina is home to 21 species of turtles, ranging from the terrestrial Eastern Box Turtle to numerous aquatic species, fve sea turtles, and the estuarine Diamondback Terrapin. Some species, like the Yellow-bellied Slider, are generalists, using a wide variety of wetland habitats and as such, are common throughout the state. Others, such as the Bog Turtle, are highly specialized, relying on very specifc habitat types, and are, accordingly, quite rare and difcult to fnd. Te natural history and distribution of some species have
been extremely well-studied, while others are in need of increased survey, research, and monitoring work. Bog Turtles are the smallest turtle in North America. Tere are two distinct US popula- tion segments—one in the Northeast (MD to New England) and one in the Southeast (GA to VA). In North Carolina, Bog Turtles have been found in 22 counties along the west- ern edge of the Piedmont and Mountain
Bog Turtle juvenile (NCWRC)
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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