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Turtles, Bats, Butterflies Under Study Forest Preserve District Using Grants to Protect Endangered Critters

Posted on: Friday, 6 January 2006, 21:00 CST

By Mick Zawislak Daily Herald Staff Writer

A bright yellow chin and throat is a distinguishing feature of the Blanding's turtle, but chances are you won't see it around much in Lake County.

Only about 70 of the state-endangered species have been identified in county forest preserves. That could change someday, as studies to determine whether this rare reptile should be reintroduced to the area continue.

"We're hoping to come out at the end of this year with some really sound advice," said Jim Anderson, the forest preserve district's natural resources manager.

The Blanding's turtle is one of several animals under study in Lake County. Researchers also will be tracking bats, salamanders and rare butterflies.

"The bottom line for anything we do is to maintain the diversity that's out there," Anderson said.

Research has been fueled by grants from a private foundation, whose main focus is Lake County wildlife. The district's development, restoration and planning committee recommended the approval Thursday of three contracts to continue that work.

For example, an Ohio State University research assistant will finish "The Status of Bats in Lake County Forest Preserves," the third year of the study. The contract approved Thursday brings the grant money devoted to this effort to nearly $120,000.

So far, researchers have captured and banded four species of bats and recorded more than 1,500 hours of bat calls and responses. Last year, they studied the roosting sites. This year, the data will be analyzed and a thesis written.

The information guides restoration work in the forest preserves. Should it turn out that bats like to roost in shag bark maples, for example, fewer of those trees may be thinned out.

For the Blanding's turtle, the district wants to know whether turtles should be relocated or whether captive breeding should be attempted. That involves raising turtles in captivity and releasing them in the wild.

"They (University of Illinois researchers) are going to give an assessment of how well that program would work here," Anderson said.

This will be the third year of the study at the Spring Bluff forest preserve near Winthrop Harbor, which has been funded by more than $122,000 in grants.

The third contract awarded Thursday was $15,000 to the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Museum for a two-year study regarding the reintroduction of the swamp metalmark and purplish copper butterflies.

That work in Lake County would be an extension of efforts in southern Cook and McHenry counties.

It involves the evaluation of potential release sites, establishing populations of the two species and follow-up monitoring.

The result would be a long-term restoration plan for the future location of rare species.

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.

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