The turtles of Cat Island (Trachemys terrapin) are geographically and ecologically restricted to freshwater areas which total less than 50 ha. Nearly all sites of occurrence are in the one area which is most highly developed. The island's total population size is estimated to be only several hundred adults. Conservation concerns include habitat loss, intrusion of sea water, lowering of water tables, burning of vegetation adjacent to ponds during the dry season when the turtles are buried in leaf litter, removal of turtles by the public, road mortality, and the hybridization with introduced red-eared sliders, a species established on other Bahaman islands but which to date has not made it to Cat Island.

   We are working with the Bahama government to 1) establish sanctuaries for the turtles, 2) draft legislation to prevent interisland movement of native turtles and to make all indigenous freshwater turtles crown protected species, and 3) to stop the importation of red-eared sliders into the Bahamas for use in the pet trade.

   The Tortoise Reserve is in the process of establishing a small captive breeding group at the National Botanical Garden in Nassau. The purpose of this group is mainly educational (most citizens are unaware that these freshwater turtles are endemic) but they will also be used for research on the biology of the species by students at the College of the Bahamas and as they are genetically pure stock they can serve as a back up group in case the Cat Island sites become polluted with red-eared sliders