North Raleigh Today

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Coastal Management, in collaboration with several partners, is seeking volunteers for the 2025 Terrapin Tally. This initiative aims to gather data on diamondback terrapins to better understand their population status in North Carolina.

The Terrapin Tally involves community science efforts where participants conduct kayak surveys to record terrapin numbers. These surveys are scheduled at specific times and locations, and repeated surveys over time will help identify population trends.

Volunteers are required to attend a training session to learn how to use a smartphone application for data collection. They must also have access to a kayak or canoe and a life jacket. Registration details and further information can be found at the project's website.

Elizabeth Pinnix, Coastal Reserve southern sites manager, expressed enthusiasm about continuing the project: "Many NC Coastal Reserve sites provide ideal habitat for diamondback terrapins, and we are excited to continue these efforts for the 11th year alongside the NC Wildlife Resources Commission." She emphasized the importance of collected data in understanding population trends and making informed management decisions.

Diamondback terrapins inhabit salt marshes along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States. They are unique reptiles that can live in brackish water environments but face threats from habitat loss and other factors. Monitoring their populations provides critical information about their status as a Species of Special Concern in North Carolina.

Hope Sutton, Eastern Wildlife Diversity Supervisor at NCWRC, highlighted past successes: "Data from the past ten years of Terrapin Tally events has helped point us to areas where further study is needed and has supported management actions that provide additional protection in specific coastal areas."

Training sessions will be held on April 12 both virtually via Zoom and in-person at various state park visitor centers. Data collection sessions are scheduled between April 25 through June 15 across multiple coastal sites from Carteret County to Brunswick County.

The project includes numerous federal, state, and local partners. It spans various locations such as Cape Lookout National Seashore, Rachel Carson Reserve, Masonboro Island Reserve among others.

For more information on training registration or participation details, prospective volunteers can visit the official registration page or contact via email provided by organizers.