Roger Birkel, the Baltimore Zoo s executive director, said the exhibit will serve other purposes as well. This exhibit will become the breeding ground for a population of turtles that could eventually be released into the wild, Birkel said. This population will be studied by zoo staff and university students to gather reproductive and biological data, which will contribute to conservation programs vital to the future of the turtle. Work on the exhibit began two years ago and is funded in part by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. A bog is a specialized wetland.
Bogs are rare and unusual places.
They are often located at the headwaters of streams that lead to the Chesapeake Bay. These wetlands are important in trapping sediment, filtering pollutants and reducing the severity of floods. Other state agencies involved in the bog turtle exhibit include the Maryland Department of Environment and State Highway Administration. DNR s Urban Spaces Team is part of the department s Urban Initiative which represents a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address issues of natural resource preservation, conservation and restoration in Maryland's larger populated areas.