Return of the Northwestern Pond Turtle
Threatened Species Confirmed at Lompico Pond
By Julie Horner
The Lompico Pond Restoration and Demonstration Project, part of the San Lorenzo Valley Native Habitat Restoration Program (SLVNHRP) from the Valley Women’s Club of San Lorenzo Valley, is celebrating the discovery of Northwestern Pond Turtle [Actinemys marmorata] eggs at Lake Lompico, a 1-acre wide pond nestled in a quiet residential community in the mountains above Felton. A California native threatened species, the presence of the nest and eggs is testament to ongoing work by a coalition of neighbors with the support of SLVNHRP to remove invasive plants and restore biodiversity to this tiny ecosystem.
A turtle raft provides a safe and stable basking platform for turtles, allowing them to regulate their body temperatures and avoid predators.
Contributing to the opportunity for survival, the Lompico Pond Restoration Project (LPRP) team launched a turtle raft earlier this year designed and built by restoration volunteer Olivia Potter. SLVNHRP team member Dawn Harker loaned her husband’s kayak, and neighbor Ben Short towed the raft into an area of the pond that will receive the most sunlight and dropped anchor safely away from shore, offering safe harbor for basking turtles.
Mature Northwestern pond turtle females produce 5–13 eggs per clutch. (Wikimedia Commons)
The eggs were likely laid on the summer solstice. Jenni Gomez of the LPRP consulted a wildlife expert who confirmed from photos taken by community member Devin Hammer that the eggs were, indeed, those of the Northwestern Pond Turtle, and recommended placing a protective cage over the nest to give the eggs their best chance to hatch. Mature female Northwestern Pond Turtles lay clutches of 5 to 13 eggs up to twice per year. Whether she had a mate or if the eggs are fertile is unknown, but the trail around the pond has been re-routed to protect the nest and eggs and the site is well marked. If the eggs are fertile and receive enough sunlight, and if the team is successful at keeping predators at bay, the eggs should hatch in September with some hatchlings emerging in the fall, while others may overwinter in the nest until spring. Winter rains will submerge the nest, but volunteers will ensure that improvements are made to the protective enclosure to accommodate the incubation period and emergence over the next few months.
Lompico Pond Restoration Project volunteers, l to r: Jim Vivian, Jenni Gomez, Wayne Pinard, Denise Pinard and Gerald C. Gordon.
Participate in this exciting project by volunteering at the next LPRP workday on Saturday, August 23 from 10am-Noon, 11603 Lakeshore Dr., Felton. If you have photos or videos of wildlife at Lompico Pond please contact the team at LompicoPond@gmail.com or (408) 634-9749 text/phone.
Caption: Northwestern pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata). The species is endemic to the west coast of the United States and Mexico, from Washington state to northern Baja California
More Information
Lompico Pond, A Labor of Love | SLV Post
Lompico Pond Restoration and Demonstration Project
San Lorenzo Valley Native Habitat Restoration Program
Valley Women’s Club of San Lorenzo Valley
Featured photo at top of page courtesy of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Julie Horner is Co-Founder and Editor for the San Lorenzo Valley Post. Julie lives and works in Boulder Creek and is an active participant in the county's vibrant music scene. She loves the outdoors and is the go-to expert on Santa Cruz Mountains hiking trails.
