Yet this species has inexplicably disappeared from most of its natural habitat. And in over half the state of Georgia, they have not been seen for five years. SREL researchers also are studying the diamondback terrapin, a small turtle found along the southern coast of the United States. People throw out the traps to catch crabs, and they just leave the traps there until they return on vacation. Well, these traps are designed to catch crabs, which can breathe under water.
Environmental pollutants are a factor in the declining numbers of common snapping turtles.
We need to pursue investigations on some of the particular species or groups that we know are, or we are suspicious of, having problems. It's the public's responsibility to be supportive by redirecting more state and federal funds to go to research and education related to reptiles. Formed in 1999 to develop strategies for the long-term conservation of amphibians, reptiles and their habitats, SREL's PARC is supported by numerous organizations, including the departments of Agriculture and Transportation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, most recently, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund. PARC is trying to come between the two extremes. We aren't trying to preserve everything, but we can't develop everything either.