John Garrison ’22 (New England, MS) and Research Faculty member Liz Willey, PhD, are co-authors of a recent study published in The Canadian Field-Naturalist. The study, “Predator Community and Human Recreation at a Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Nesting Site,” examines the potential predators and human recreation activity surrounding nesting sites of the declining freshwater turtle species.
Researchers monitored 18 Spotted Turtle nests in Bristol County, Massachusetts, using camera traps during 2021 and 2022. They documented six potential predator species and five types of human recreational activity. Coyotes were the most frequently observed potential predator, while raccoons were significantly more likely than other species to investigate the nests. The findings offer insights that could help inform management of Spotted Turtle nesting areas.
Garrison and Willey conducted the research with co-author Michael T. Jones. The study was published on August 14, 2026.
