Impacts from Reintroduction and Effectiveness Monitoring. Alligator Snapping Turtle Reintroduction will require the transport and release of juvenile alligator snapping turtles. Individuals will be transported via live tanks, marked with a unique identifying tag, and released by hand. Handling and transport of alligator snapping turtles are expected to result in temporary physiological stress and altered behavior. Short-term physiological and behavioral stress may occur as a result of the changed temperature, turbidity, and surroundings of the natural environment. Feeding behaviors are not expected to be significantly affected because turtles will forage for live prey in both the artificial and natural environments. After some time, it is expected that alligator snapping turtles will recover from any short-term physiological and behavioral effects and adapt to the new surroundings. Alligator snapping turtle monitoring may be performed at some or all enrolled properties. Baited traps and/or radio telemetry will be used per standard trapping protocols. These methods require that traps are checked frequently to avoid death or injury of individuals. When captured, turtles are measured and weighed by hand and any new, unmarked turtles will be tagged. Turtles will then be released at the location of capture. Capture and handling are expected to result in short-term physiological stress that will dissipate after it is returned. Although very unlikely, there is some potential for reintroduction and monitoring to result in the injury or mortality of an individual. Estimated incidental take from reintroduction and monitoring is expected to be no more than one individual out of the reintroduced population. Any impacts from incidental take would be outweighed by the expected benefits to the local or regional population from reintroduction and habitat management actions.
