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The Arizona Game and Fish Department, in partnership with the Phoenix Zoo, is kicking off a three-year study to learn the distribution patterns and habitat use of non-native turtles living in the zoo’s urban ponds.
Every year hundreds of unwanted pet turtles are released into Papago Park-area ponds and other community lakes. Dozens of turtles at the zoo are then trapped by AZGFD and either returned to the water or placed up for adoption to prevent non-native species from travelling to nearby waters where they can out-compete, spread disease or prey on native turtles and other native aquatic wildlife.
The media is invited to document the kickoff of the three-year study as biologists and volunteers trap and measure the turtles captured in the moat at the entrance to the Zoo. Turtles will then be outfitted with a tracking transmitter on their shell and returned to the water.
The goal of the study is to trap and place transmitters on 10 male and 10 female turtles.
When
Traps will be checked at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10 and transmitters will be affixed to turtles trapped the previous day around 9:30 a.m. (Although trapping and collecting turtles for transmitters may be ongoing throughout the day until 4:30 p.m. or until 10 males and 10 females are captured.)
Where
Papago Park pond at the Phoenix Zoo entrance
Contact
AZGFD PIO Nathan Gonzalez at (480) 290-2276
Phoenix Zoo Director of Communications Linda Hardwick at (602) 663-3254
Who
Additional Information
Turtles will be live-trapped using fish as bait.
Media interested in obtaining footage from the boat should please contact AZGFD PIO Nathan Gonzalez at (480) 290-2276 or Linda Hardwick of the Phoenix Zoo at (602) 663-3254.