Salt marsh wildlife
The diamondback terrapin is the only turtle in the United States that lives in estuarine habitat. It is considered a keystone species in salt marshes because it helps maintain populations of periwinkle snails (Littoraria irrorata), which can overgraze marsh vegetation.
Diamondback terrapins range along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Massachusetts to Texas. Nesting season runs from April through October. Females lay small clutches of about seven to ten eggs on sandy beaches near marsh habitat.
Terrapins face pressures from low reproductive rates and delayed maturity, predation by raccoons, pet-trade collection, road mortality, and drowning in crab traps. Habitat loss and fragmentation worsen these challenges. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing their population status.
Research partnership
Escambia County is home to two of Florida’s seven diamondback terrapin subspecies: the ornate terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) and the Mississippi terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin pileata). Escambia County Natural Resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Florida Sea Grant Extension are working together to assess terrapin populations in the Florida Panhandle.
Florida Sea Grant Extension coordinates the citizen-science volunteer program during nesting season, while USGS manages research. The project has also partnered with the University of West Florida on genetic assessments of ornate and Mississippi terrapins.
2024
Escambia County Natural Resources received funding from the Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program for the Panhandle Terrapin Project. The funds supported nesting-monitoring sites, habitat maps to select additional study sites, acoustic receivers and tags, and ongoing USGS work.
2025
The Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program awarded continued support, primarily to expand acoustic telemetry by purchasing additional receivers and tags. Receivers deployed from Escambia County to Okaloosa County will also support terrapin, sea turtle, and fish telemetry studies conducted by other agencies.
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