North America鈥檚 smallest turtle has big problems. Bog turtles have been mysteriously falling ill for the past few years, and along with their numbers, their habitat is shrinking. In New York and Massachusetts, where the turtles are considered endangered, WCS health experts are in the field the culprit.

鈥淲e鈥檙e conducting a broad screening in order to identify a cause or causes for the increase in bog turtle deaths,鈥� said Dr. Bonnie Raphael, WCS鈥檚 department head for wildlife medicine. 鈥淭his information will be used to help determine if these recent losses are attributable to infectious disease, environmental perturbations, or other factors.鈥�

Bog turtles grow to 4.5 inches in length and weigh only about 4 ounces. No one knows exactly how many of them are out there, but experts are certain that they occur within isolated patches of habitat in the eastern . The turtles can live in meadows and marshes, at woodland edges, and, true to their name, in bogs.

The team鈥攚hich includes the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the NY Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program鈥攊s scooping up the pint-size patients (actually closer to half-pint-size) and giving them full exams. The check-ups involve testing the turtles鈥� blood and feces, swabbing their cloacas, and performing biopsies to get a general idea of the population鈥檚 health. Experts hope this will eventually help them pinpoint the problem and guide efforts to save those turtles that remain.

鈥淭he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made bog turtle recovery a priority,鈥� said Alison Whitlock, FWS coordinator for the Northeast region鈥檚 bog turtle recovery program. 鈥淲e are working with many partners from state agencies, non-government organizations, and private landowners to address the threats to this species. Working with the 菊花视频 to conduct this health assessment addresses one of the recovery objectives, and we are looking forward to continuing this partnership in conservation.鈥�

Since 1973, WCS has been studying and working to protect bog turtles. Recognized as turtle health experts for their work in the field and within our zoos, WCS veterinarians are exceptionally qualified for this investigation.