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<div>The notching/drilling of the marginal scutes of research terrapins/turtles (Cagle 1939) should be standard with inserting pit-tags. Terrapins and other turtles in the US have a higher chance of staying where right where they are if they are noticeably marked as a research animal. This is a very good deterrent, as well as an easy identification feature. It does not stop every poaching event, but it certainly reduces the number.  When turtles are just pit-tagged, collectors think they have unmarked (unclaimed) animals and that their risk level is low. When they see holes or notches, the collectors know they are in or near a research area or and the animals might be pit-tagged, which can't be easily removed, and this links them to the location where they animals came from therefore increasing their risk. The "might be pit-tagged" thought is a very good deterrent, but they won't get that unless the turtle is noticeably marked. Marked turtles are often not poached or done so in low number because of that risk, plus the fact that they have been defaced. Inspectors and other law enforcement are more aware of marked turtles these days and are likely to question an animal with obvious human-made notches/holes. That gives law enforcement a reason to scan the turtle with a reader. The third method that should be used are photographs, Although terrapins are a species that can change color and pattern from hatchling to adult (ontogenetic shift). Once they take on the adult form (this happens before maturity), those head/chin patterns as well as carapace/plastron patterns are mostly defined and do not change much. This three way ID protocol (notch/pit-tag/photographs) allows you to positively identify your research turtles even if two methods fail, such as an expelled pit-tag or a predator removing notched scutes.</div><div><br></div><div>
it is important to know that when a species becomes extremely valuable, like A<i>strochelys yniphora </i>etc., neither notches, pit-tags, photographs, engraving, or anti-tampering explosives will stop the poaching event. <br></div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div>

</div><div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div><div style="min-width:650px;width:100%;border:1px solid #fff"><table style="font:90% Georgia;font-size:initial;color:#000000"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color:#c5dae0;font:90% Georgia;border-bottom:1px solid #c5dae0;padding:0 0 2px 0"><span style="color:#c5dae0;padding:0 0 2px 0;white-space:nowrap!important"><span><span style="color:#04548b;font-size:1.2em">Chris Lechowicz</span> </span><span><span style="color:#04548b;font-size:.8em">Director-Wildlife & Habitat Management/Herpetologist</span> </span></span></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:10px 15px 0 0;width:1px" valign="top"><span><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.newoldstamp.com%2Fr%2F97790%2Fp&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637081457691310627&sdata=WWZdA1Sm1f20ctAzcGnQGohQvL9ioafv%2FBhD4Uah0OY%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://img.newoldstamp.com/r/97790/p" shash="kUEDMGl2QeJT8Dp7igfZCOiyi2nPa1W0Rk0L8JyKE5kWwycqkYc+8VG5uwC1sSq8znzJ2AsphhHABZ9e9qIryfv/syg98MEcAJU0YC2F31TURLoRzqi+oosoXDTl8r/op2x27SWuoE/qm9/iLNPtMAxYgzBuSe43aG/8ib+Z0vU=" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.newoldstamp.com/p/100969" alt="photo-logo" width="246"></a></span></td><td style="color:#c5dae0;font:90% Georgia;padding:8px 0 0 0" valign="top"><div style="white-space:nowrap!important"><div><span style="color:#c5dae0;font-size:.9em">Office: </span><span style="color:#000000;font-size:.9em">239-472-3984</span></div><div><span style="color:#c5dae0;font-size:.9em">Mobile: </span><span style="color:#000000;font-size:.9em">239-470-3313</span></div><div><span style="color:#c5dae0;font-size:.9em">Email: </span><span><a href="mailto:clechowicz@sccf.org" style="color:#000000;font-size:.9em;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">clechowicz@sccf.org</a></span></div><div><span style="color:#c5dae0;font-size:.9em"> </span><span><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sccf.org&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637081457691310627&sdata=IXdLiI2nJOsxqGcOdDeX6Qd9cnRACM3bFRa2fIl36%2Bs%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="http://www.sccf.org" shash="dMPQRszsLOK8sT0+CbYSOsYMQFLId6/4MJCWN0pzAFpLf93LKm3Ectu2DfPxTAdb44iFSsLdvhfLiKLzayBFfMA2oCe/rmlg2ysJi/nfQpUOqPV06RGDI7g+LImKdfDUp1l/zQfmKgt4b9R7F7qfxRiEzd8zBcviq0u3BsGAv58=" style="color:#000000;font-size:.9em;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">www.SCCF.org</a></span> </div><div><span style="color:#c5dae0;font-size:.9em"> </span><span><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdonorbox.org%2Fdonate-to-sccf&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637081457691320629&sdata=thTYpUiJzKPWS3RkB9RfR8yULSJ0FC%2BRD%2B4jFGW7h8k%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://donorbox.org/donate-to-sccf" shash="raJ/A074tD4ggLFaqVPZHQ4AJntu91yY4ZAzwFQpHBc/fJUrtadIEQGJaP7Q/3IuI7HWG17UddrjjwI/CodSYF+BuREQnJyEiSL4Y3gsBxU7D4UFsUyv7Y7fG06pnyB945S3xUDBGPFcs4rHPNb2QZNpNiEtqQ7QZBUT0V7Cu00=" style="color:#000000;font-size:.9em;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">✓Donate Here</a></span> </div></div><div style="font-size:10px;line-height:10px"> </div><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.newoldstamp.com%2Fr%2F97790%2Ffacebook&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637081457691320629&sdata=jFjAIFQ7vRkiRu02CGOptq5%2BEMOX%2B%2BykeMl6LicFtiM%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://img.newoldstamp.com/r/97790/facebook" shash="Z6t7Y0X6tQE4+pdK99Sco/MtopSNgDuUI9gjs+gQuWXaB2S0y/w5WfU1Ktfhd5OhtQYKZE/HempU1sVigb3lBswZD7FpEueOg7szRzQaEOEmaj5Rrf9kTSUYAAe7rnDvZMJi3rDFE5GuSV2bkf4ktk8neklTJR4aJBEHCoK/KbA=" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.newoldstamp.com/i/1/1/0/0/55.png?qkPUT" alt="facebook" width="32"></a></td><td><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.newoldstamp.com%2Fr%2F97790%2Finstagram&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637081457691330622&sdata=UK%2Fc05p6Z6ZBqYFxq37qE4qWd029DNxld%2F%2BMvBI%2F7sI%3D&reserved=0" originalSrc="https://img.newoldstamp.com/r/97790/instagram" shash="QpmzIFycYD0dA47QKDaMoKTgc9MulpcWsguCATYOAEmGuXzp8ZDvmvVhEHDes70cPjY3miBlYM/tf7Zz8ZFyfzZWk4ECRNNlm/jZlyvKxTtXqTtn17KxBaQPwrfbUFG7vTtGpEHyWG+gKz5FCqxqyPSQMJ4IHb2aMHMKlkd4I70=" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.newoldstamp.com/i/1/1/0/0/98.png?gfYT3" alt="instagram" width="32"></a></td><td><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.newoldstamp.com%2Fr%2F97790%2Ftwitter&data=02%7C01%7CDtwg%40listserv.ohio.edu%7Cdc4dbc3fe34f4843d5f808d75e35d9d6%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611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Unfortunately there was no effort to identify the original tagger and report such findings because the researcher was unaware of any other tagging programs.  The Terrapin Institute has posted several photos depicting examples of our various tagging techniques beginning with our 1998 tags. <span> </span><br>Might there be any interest among this membership to compile a chart of tagging efforts and develop a code of ethics? <span> </span><br><br>> On Oct 16, 2019, at 12:15 PM, Barbara Brennessel <<a href="mailto:bbrennes@wheatonma.edu" target="_blank">bbrennes@wheatonma.edu</a>> wrote:<br>><span> </span><br>> Thank you for all your responses. We identified the area from which the captive PIT tagged terrapin originated.  Law enforcement is now in the picture.<span> </span><br>><span> </span><br>>  It's quite a coincidence that this was reported just after the DTWG workshop in Wilmington at which there were a couple of talks that mentioned poaching.<br>><span> </span><br>> --<span> </span><br>> Barbara Brennessel, Ph.D.<br>> Professor Emerita<br>> Wheaton College<br>> Norton, MA 02766<br>><span> </span><br>> cell:508-479-6553<br>><span> </span><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Dtwg mailing list<br>><span> </span><a href="mailto:Dtwg@listserv.ohio.edu" target="_blank">Dtwg@listserv.ohio.edu</a><br>><span> </span><a href="https://listserv.ohio.edu/mailman/listinfo/dtwg" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://listserv.ohio.edu/mailman/listinfo/dtwg</a><br><br></blockquote></div><br style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none" clear="all"><div style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><br></div><span style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;float:none;display:inline">--<span> </span></span><br style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><div dir="ltr">Barbara Brennessel, Ph.D.<div>Professor Emerita<br></div><div>Wheaton College</div><div>Norton, MA 02766</div><div><br></div><div>cell:508-479-6553</div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>Dtwg mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:Dtwg@listserv.ohio.edu" target="_blank">Dtwg@listserv.ohio.edu</a></span><br><span><a href="https://listserv.ohio.edu/mailman/listinfo/dtwg" target="_blank">https://listserv.ohio.edu/mailman/listinfo/dtwg</a></span><br></div></blockquote></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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