USM Graduate Students Pursue Passion for Researching Mississippi Alligator Snapping Turtles, Answering Alarming Call

Wed, 12/04/2024 - 11:18am | By: Gabriela Shinskie

Dr. Luke Pearson, an alumnus from The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Mississippi biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the help of several USM graduate students, is answering a call to help a species that may be on a proposed threatening list. The dynamic group found a connection with the alligator snapping turtle and has used modern technology and research to save its population and help increase survival rates.

“Mississippi is the core of this species range geographically. We have the highest density of alligator snapping turtles in the Southeast. We must get the information we need and ensure it is accurate,” said Pearson. 

The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, populating 14 different states across the nation. Their large, powerful jaws and shells resemble an alligator. A male alligator snapping turtle can weigh up to 249 pounds and inhabits rivers, small creeks and even sightings along the Mississippi Barrier Islands and Waveland Beach.

However, threats to the species affect the entire population through illegal harvest, commercial or recreational fishing, hook ingestion and nest predators. Pearson and his research group are determined to help combat these issues. 

Pearson’s passion for turtles began during his doctoral career at USM. He expanded his research skills as a seasonal tech, tracking alligator snapping turtles using radio tool imagery as the species were being reintroduced into the wild. He was the first person in the state of Mississippi to work with the species. After accepting a position at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, his work snowballed. Pearson and his team focused on establishing spots across the state for recurring monitor sites where researchers can go and access the population size and find growth and survival rates.

“We learned that we don’t know much about their major threats, such as fishing bycatch, hook ingestion and the number of turtles out there. We are trying to do this research and answer these questions,” said Pearson.

A group of USM graduate students found a perfect fit with Pearson and his research. Carl Qualls, a USM ecology and organismal biology professor, leads a lab including Patrick Delisle, McAulay Jaunsen, Andrew Holzinger, Logan Leblanc and Noah Devros. Delisle, a senior in biological sciences, has worked with modern technology benefiting the species since 2022, and collaborated on a major nesting project spearheaded by Holzinger called the Nest Success Project at Lake Thoreau Environmental Center.

“Reptiles, in general, have low recruitment. Often, nests are preyed upon by raccoons and other predators. To combat that, we can collect the eggs, hatch them in captivity and help them get bigger. This will artificially bolster their survival,” said Delisle. 

“From each nest, we collected half of the eggs to raise at USM in incubators to estimate the hatching success. We are currently raising all the turtle hatchlings so that they can be released in spring back to the river system where they were collected. Before release, we will implant them with tags, like the microchips put in cats and dogs by vets, so that they can be identified when captured in the future, which will tell researchers their exact age and growth rate,” said Holzinger.

“I enjoy turtle conservation and research. I enjoy getting into its statistical side, such as modeling. I find it to be very rewarding,” added Delisle.

The group also researches where the turtles choose to lay their eggs, how likely it is for the nest to be eaten, as well as the hatch rates. There is still much work to be done, but Pearson and his team are ready for the challenge.

Click here to learn more about USM’s biological sciences programs and contribute to an innovative society.