Roadkill Harvesting Permits

Laws vary from state to state so it is near impossible for me to give foolproof step by step instructions on acquiring a permit. Instead I will try to point you in the right direction by explaining how I went about getting a permit in Florida.

My initial work was with the common and unregulated Pseudemys f. peninsularis and P. nelsoni, so no permit seemed to be required. Your state may be different.

FYI: possession of the shell of a dead turtle, or turtle eggs is often considered the same as possession of a live turtle.

A related FYI: a permit is required in Florida for rehabbing.

After I had figured out that I could recover eggs this way I decided to broaden the scope of my collecting. This and some media exposure increased the likelihood that I would come into possession of eggs from restricted species (species where there is a limit to the number that may be possessed, and species that are completely banned from possession). So, I contacted what is now called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, specifically the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. I explained what I had been doing and what I wanted to do regarding the restricted/protected species. Their suggestion was to submit a proposal and be as detailed as possible. What follows are some points you might want to hit.

But first-

Forget about harvesting from Sea Turtle carcasses. Sea turtles are Federally protected and a permit to be in possession of sea turtle eggs would have to come from the federal level. Agencies that I have spoken with have shown little interest in permitting an individual for this. There are already agencies and groups handling Sea Turtles. I would suggest becoming involved with them if you have an interest.

In Florida, if you find an injured or dead Sea Turtle you can report it to the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  1-888-404-3922.

Back to the proposal-

1) State what you want to do--- Harvest eggs from road-killed turtles.  If there is a particularly bad spot in the area you plan to patrol, you might want to compile and include some data. Such as, this many turtles of these species were killed on this road in this time period.

2) State why you want to do it---To lessen the impact (no pun intended), on protected species, by   automobiles and habitat development. The statistics are out there proving that road mortality can have a  significant effect.

3) State how you will go about it---Euthanization of hopeless cases, removal of eggs, method of incubation, release into habitat near collection site. You might also mention removal of carcass from roadway which will save scavengers from being hit.

4) List any experience you have with turtles or with incubating their eggs.

5) List any pertinent education. Work as a rehabber, work at a zoo or nature park, a degree in biology or zoology.

6) Include good contact information. Make it easy for them to get in touch with you. Otherwise, if they have a question it will be asked by mail and delay everything.

7) Invite suggestions. Let them know you are open to advice that will make the permit happen.

After submitting it, the ball is in their court. My best suggestion at this stage is be patient. There is no impetus for them to give you the permit, or to rush.

It may take a while. I think mine went through three drafts and took over 90 days to be approved. Even if they get right on it, the paperwork will no doubt need to visit multiple desks. Some delay is understandable as this is outside of the normal permits they process and they will need to go over the details so that they don't hand out a permit authorizing something unintended.

If you are rejected, ask for an explanation. If you think you can counter their concerns, modify your proposal and resubmit it. Persistence usually pays off.

I am not the most patient person and tactful probably isn't how anyone would describe me, but I managed to get this done and you can too. The aggravation of getting the permit is nothing compared to the good feeling you get releasing a group of hatchlings that would have not been, if not for your intercession.

Semper paratus - The Roadside Kit

Always prepared.

Palpating Females and Removing Turtle Eggs

Incubation

Two examples of commercially available incubators.

The top two are "hovabator" incubators. There are other brands with basically the same design, which is a Styrofoam housing with the temperature controlled by a wafer thermostat. Some models have egg turners - do not buy these - turning turtle eggs is not only not necessary, it will ruin the eggs. Others have an air circulating fan. This isn't necessary either. Circulating air can dry out the eggs. The fan can be  disconnected. Typically this style incubator runs $30-40 and can be found online and at feed stores.

The lower incubator is from Forma Scientific and costs over $5,000. It is better insulated, much larger, allows for humidity control, and more precise temperature settings. It also has alarms that notify you when it is out of water, the temperature is too high, or when power is lost. Designed for culturing bacteria, it has CO₂ hookups, and is overkill for turtle eggs. The eggs of some snake species can be tricky and I know a few boid breeders that use this incubator.

Between these two extremes are literally dozens of commercial incubators. Another option is building your own.

Two versions I have built in the past...

I will get some pictures on here to illustrate these options soon.

The first uses a chest cooler. I placed a few bricks in the bottom and then added water to just below the top of the bricks. I added an aquarium water heater and adjusted it until it kept the air at the desired temperature. I placed plastic shoeboxes holding vermiculite and eggs on the bricks. I drilled holes for air flow on the sides of the plastic boxes, this way condensation collecting on the cooler top didn't drip into the egg trays and saturate them.

The other version uses an old refrigerator. Heat can be provided by adding an incandescent bulb, heat tape, or a small aquarium heated by submersible aquarium heater. The first two require that you provide humidity with a water pan or misting. I have used the last option. I found an old upright freezer that was in good condition. The fact that is wasn't a fridge freezer combo meant there was more shelf space for egg trays. I placed a small aquarium on the inside base, filled it with water, and adjusted the heater until the air temperature was where I wanted it. I covered the tank by slanting a piece of glass over the top. This made the freezer interior humid, but kept the tank from drying out quickly

Methods of Determining Fertility in Turtle Eggs

One question I often get is, "how do you know if an egg is fertile and developing?". What follows below covers the three signs I look for to determine egg fertility and development.

Chalking

Turtles have internal fertilization. Once an egg is fertilized it undergoes a number of cell divisions until it is a collection of cells, approximately late blastula to early gastrula stage. Then it stops development until it is out of the body (in some species, development is further delayed until another trigger is present, such as a period of cooling). Otherwise, after ovipositioning, the embryo migrates to a polar position.

Caution  you do not want to turn turtle eggs after they have been laid. If the embryo has attached and begun development it can be crushed by the contents of the egg.

 This isn't a good picture, but you should be able to see the white spot on the top of the egg. This is where the embryo has attached and is beginning to pull material out of the egg, changing its reflectivity. This spot will expand as the embryo's network of blood vessels increases. Eggs can become whiter just by drying, so a white egg isn't always a fertile egg, which is why I candle.

Candling

This is an egg. The date written on top in pencil helps make sure orientation is restored when the egg is returned to the incubator. An X is sufficient to mark egg orientation or treasure.

I usually attempt to candle with the egg right side up. Occasionally I have to look through the side to get a better view. I don't believe gentle turning of the egg is a problem as long as it is returned to the incubator with the correct orientation.

I cup the egg and the flashlight so that the only light visible in the room is coming through the egg. There is distance between the egg and the maglite. You do not want to heat the egg up.

Usually the first sign of development I can see is a red dot inside a circular red ring. This is further along than that, if the picture was better you would see lots of blood vessels. The initial ring was about the size the embryo is here (red blob left of center). The darker the room the better chance you will see something. It also means the light source doesn't have to be as strong. The amount of time before you should see something depends mostly on the species and the incubation temperature. Hermman's Tortoises take around 60 days to hatch and I can expect to see development by two weeks. Gibba Turtles which take close to 150 days, usually do not show signs of development until 3-4 weeks. And by signs I mean easy to see in a fairly dark room. Chalking, mentioned above, is an earlier indication of development.

Hatching

This is pretty much a dead give-away that an egg is fertile. Now that you have gotten it this far, taking anywhere from 40-365+ days depending on the species, you have two options.

(1) If you are doing Road Kill Egg Collection, find a good location, wish the turtle(s) luck,  and release.

(2) If you are doing captive care, spend 5-20 years, depending on the species, raising the turtle up in order to repeat the cycle. Enjoy!

Release

After the getting a permit, and doing the dirty work of collecting the eggs, then waiting during incubation, releasing hatchlings is the shortest part of the job. It is also the most important part, the reason you did all the other parts. Some things to keep in mind.

1. Release as soon as possible. Occasionally you might have eggs hatch in the middle of winter that, had they been lain by the mother, would have over-wintered in the ground and hatched in the spring, .  If the weather is unsuitable, wait until it is better. In the meantime try not to have the hatchlings associate you with food. They probably will revert to avoiding humans once released, but not necessarily. I have had wild turtles swim right up to me in places where people have been feeding them. I would suggest feeding them live food as well. This will get them used to having to acquire their food.

2. Release into appropriate habitat near where the mother was found. Such as the woods or scrub for  Gopher Tortoises & Box Turtles, or a pond or lake for aquatic species. Exceptions to this are if the area is already, or about to become, a subdivision. In a case like that I release into the next nearest appropriate habitat.

3. Release into a good area. With aquatics I take them to a quiet area with a lot of water weeds on a day when the water isn't choppy. I place them on land and let them go in at their own speed. I stay until they all disappear. Not just because I enjoy this part, but also to make sure a crow or other predator doesn't take advantage of the situation. Once the hatchlings are in the water, they are on their own. Singing of the song "Born Free" is optional.

Some representative releases from over the last 12 years.

Yellow-bellied Sliders Trachemys s. scripta.

Florida Redbelly Pseudemys nelsoni.

The turtle I most commonly have released is the Peninsula Cooter Pseudemys floridana peninsularis.

Gopher Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus.

Common Musk Sternotherus odoratus and two Three-striped Mud Turtles Kinsternon baurii. The Musk and Mud Turtles are a rarity. The adults are so small that there is usually nothing salvageable when they are hit.

Multiple Common Musks.

Florida Softshell Apalone ferox.