The bog turtle occurs only in the eastern United States, with distinct northern and southern populations separated by a 250-mile gap through most of Virginia and West Virginia. The northern population is larger than the southern, with bog turtles occurring in northern Maryland, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, southern New York and most of New Jersey and extending as far north as Massachusetts. Although populations were once abundant in the Southern Blue Ridge of Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina, the bog turtle is now facing unprecedented challenges to its survival.

Their habitat has been drained, leading to decreased areas for this species to persist, plus increased meso-predators like racoons and skunks can decimate a population in just a few weeks. When the turtles hatch they weigh less than 0.2 ounces, and can be eaten by just about everything. At Zoo Knoxville, under the initial leadership of Bern Tryon, we figured out how to breed and care for these turtles. Using a process called head-starting we can get the hatchling turtles to a larger size in a short time period for return back to the wild. While head-starting is a great tool, we must also protect the habitat and make sure it remains thriving for years to come. That's why the zoo works with local partners to establish as much viable habitat as possible.