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MILLTOWNÂ â Why did the turtle climb the hill?
The answer apparently eludes many well-intentioned people who keep picking up western painted turtles and putting them back in ponds or rivers.
What they donât realize, according to University of Montana wildlife biology assistant professor Erim Gomez, is that the move actually sets back turtle survival.
Gomez and his students had been combing Milltown State Park researching frog and salamander reproduction when they came across a fresh nest of turtle eggs on a little hilltop. Soon afterward, they met another park visitor who said theyâd just ârescuedâ a turtle that couldnât find the water.
Montana State Parks sees record visitation so far for 2021
HELENA – Mild weather during the first quarter of 2021 contributed to a record number of visitors for Montana State Parks.
MSP recorded 393,175 park visitors in the first quarter, a 20.2% increase over 2020 and a 78% increase over the same period in 2019. Of the 40 state parks that were seasonally open during this period, 80% experienced an increase in estimated visitation compared with last year.
Day use and camping occupancy are projected to rise across the state during the spring and summer months.
“As our parks prepare to welcome people from across our state, the country and the world, we continue to prioritize unparalleled customer service and public safety for our guests and staff,” said Beth Shumate, parks division administrator with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “Our 55 parks, including seven National Historic Landmarks, truly tell the story of the Treasure State. We look forward to a successful season a
Report snapping turtles in west-central Montana
Missoula – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is asking for help from the public in reporting snapping turtle sightings in west-central Montana.
In Montana, snapping turtles are a native species east of the continental divide, but they are non-native west of the divide and can cause significant harm to native populations of pond-dwelling species like frogs, turtles, snakes, ducks, and fish. Snapping turtles likely end up in waterways in western Montana through illegal releases of animals kept as pets.
In 2018, FWP received a report of a snapping turtle in a backwater at Milltown State Park just east of Missoula. In 2019, FWP responded to a reported snapping turtle in the Rattlesnake Creek area just north of Missoula but was not able to locate it. In 2021, FWP is ramping up its efforts to find and remove snapping turtles, and reports of turtle sightings from the public are critical for this effort to be successful.