By
Jeff Malachowski/Daily News staff, The MetroWest Daily News
HUDSON
1/5/13 — Instead of dodging chipmunks, herons and other predators in the wild,
four young Blanding’s turtles safely wade in the shallow waters of two tanks at
JFK Middle School.
In
recent years, Blanding’s turtles have become a threatened species in
Massachusetts because of the continued loss of their habitat, which are sandy
marshes, and various predators in the wild. Blanding’s turtles - like many
types of turtles - also are killed crossing busy roads.
"There
are very few making it across," said science teacher Brian Blake.
Seventh-grade
students in Blake and Beth Joki’s science classes are doing their part to
protect the Blanding’s turtle population, with the students raising and caring
for four Blanding’s turtles throughout the year. The turtles will be released
into the Assabet Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the spring as part of a
conservation project organized by local biologists.
Blanding’s
turtles' survival rate the first year they are released is 85 percent, said
Joki.
"We’re
trying to build the Blanding’s population," said Joki.
All
four yellow-spotted turtles, two named Squirt, one named Tyrone and another
called Crush, need to grow before they can be released. They will be equipped
with a tracking chip to allow biologists to monitor their movements once
they're freed.
Joki
and Blake received a $2,000 grant in June from the NEA Foundation to
participate in the conservation project.
"Students
will learn they, too, can make an impact on their environment in positive
ways," said Joki.
Since
receiving the four hatchlings in October, students have fed the turtles twice a
day, cleaned their tanks each week and measured and weighed the reptiles. The
turtles, which weigh about 10 grams and can fit on the tips of a few fingers,
will grow to about 6 inches and weigh 80 grams when they are released.
"We’re
helping them grow," said Jaylene Hurley, a seventh-grader. "I love
having a class pet."
The
turtles are not just class pets, as students have taken on the responsibility
of caring for them and volunteered to take them home and care for them during
school vacations.
"Watching
them grow is my favorite part," Maia Klingenberger said as she scrubbed a
tank with James Brooks, Keith Gagne and Ryan Hatfield. "They’re really
cute."
Brooks’
favorite part about having the turtles is learning about their habitat and
weighing and measuring them.
Allowing
the students to take a hands-on approach to caring for the turtles and helping
the animals grow helps bring the issue of the steadily declining Blanding’s
turtle population to the forefront for students.
"It
really brings it to life," said Blake.
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!