Movements and Behavior of Hatchling Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta)

Twelve hatchling Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) were tracked successfully with fluorescent powders during their migration from nest to water in New Hampshire in August and September 1993. Most frequently, hatchlings selected habitat in herbaceous vegetative cover and hayfield banks bordering sandpit nesting areas, as well as in dense woody and herbaceous ecotones along dirt roads. Mean distance traveled per movement was 23.4 ± 9.5 (0.5–109.0) m (n = 84 movements). Total distance traveled to a brook averaged 131.7 ± 119.7 (27–445) m (geometric mean distance = 96.75 ± 0.35) (n = 12). Mean time taken to reach a brook was 6.2 ± 6.3 (range 1–24) days (n = 12). Hatchlings' trails often overlapped one another precisely, suggesting that the turtles may have followed conspecific cues. We suggest that cues such as olfaction, vision, positive geotaxis, and auditory cues may be employed as orientation mechanisms in hatchling G. insculpta.