The Wetlands Institute is the primary experience for Asian scholars from the Asian Scholarship Program for in-situ Chelonian Conservation (ASPin-situCC). Since the inception of the Asian Scholarship Program in 2000, a total of 16 scholars have been brought to the Wetlands Institute to experience the hands-on terrapin conservation work (I am scholar #16).
The Wetlands Institute focuses on 2 major aspects of the conservation of the diamondback terrapins and other endangered animals in the area — Research and Education. Various research projects are being conducted by the researchers — assessment of the impact of human activities on diamondback terrapins and ways to reduce those impacts, the innovative use of dredged materials and disposal sites to reduce diamondback terrapin mortality, conservation of shorebirds and horseshoe crabs of Delaware Bay, incubation of least tern nests, etc.
On the other hand, members of the public who visit the Wetlands Institute will be taken on a guided tour of the marsh and the trail behind the institute. And before the summer began, school groups were also taken to the beach to learn about beach ecology (water temperature, wind speed, salinity) and to the trail to learn about salt marsh ecology.
There is also an Outreach component under Education, and the Educator basically takes students out on a boat and teaches them about the kinds of fish/organisms that they catch. The Educator is also solely in charge of exhibitions, touch tanks (for kids to touch the animals and learn about them) and any other outreach-related stuff.
This is a diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin. It is believed to be the only turtle that survives in brackish water areas and it is named for the diamond pattern on its carapace. Adult females are usually bigger than the males because the females need to carry eggs in them. The females lay an average of 8 - 12 eggs in a clutch, and they typically lay only one nest in the 6-week-long nesting season, though some terrapins have been documented to lay more than once in the season.
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That is truly a very informative post. I am very grateful to you for bringing this institution to my knowledge. I am very interested in matters of conservation and shall use this information to some benefit. Thank you.
I love your 3rd shot. Lovely.
Its so encouraging to know that not all of humanity is out to destroy our planet. Good work is also being done. I only hope it is enough in the long run.