[Dtwg] pre-historic terrapin numbers/abundance

[John A Crawford]

Hi Russell,
I know of no records of terrapin abundance here in Georgia, but I would imagine it was high, given the productivity of the salt marshes.
However ,we have found numerous terrapin shell fragments in pre European contact shell middens here on Skidaway Island.  They were ilways in association with habitation artifacts that indicated they were used as food,  Our excavated local site is the well documented Groves Creek Site.
I have seen such shell fragments in other sites on our coast.
Terrapins have been laying here for several weeks.
Stay safe,
My best,
Crawfish


Captain John "Crawfish" Crawford
Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Senior Naturalist | Marine Educator
30 Ocean Science Circle | Savannah, GA 31411

p: 912-598-2364
w: gacoast.uga.edu<https://gacoast.uga.edu/>

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From: Dtwg <dtwg-bounces at listserv.ohio.edu> on behalf of Russell L. Burke <Russell.L.Burke at hofstra.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 4:53 PM
To: TURNER <redknot at optonline.net>; Jordan Gray <jgray at turtlesurvival.org>; dtwg at listserv.ohio.edu <dtwg at listserv.ohio.edu>; dtwg-bounces at listserv.ohio.edu <dtwg-bounces at listserv.ohio.edu>; roosenbu at ohio.edu <roosenbu at ohio.edu>
Subject: [Dtwg] pre-historic terrapin numbers/abundance

[EXTERNAL SENDER - PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY]


Have any of you come across records/reports where someone has written, or even just speculated, on the number/density/abundance of terrapins before or just after Europeans arrived?  I know for example that early European travelers to North America mentioned seeing very large numbers of sea turtles.  Anything analogous for terrapins?

I’ve never seen much of anything about aboriginal use, or observations by early Europeans of aboriginal use, or speculation about even earlier.  Seems to me that terrapins were probably very very abundant, but I don’t see anything on that.

Ideas?

Dr. Russell Burke

Department of Biology

Hofstra University



Senior Research Associate

American Littoral Society






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