Something may be lurking in your water hazard—and it's not just errant golf balls from duffers. Recent research over the past few years has discovered that golf courses can be used as havens for turtles, and could attract an even richer variety of species than ponds in more natural settings.
Turtles in Trouble
Turtles have been in trouble for quite some time. This ancient group of animals has existed for quite some time, but today nearly half of the 300 known turtle species are either threatened or endangered.
This situation is even worse when only freshwater species are considered. Fifty-six percent of freshwater turtle species are currently at risk. In the face of ever-expanding urban populations, turtles have lost many of their existing habitats.
Wildlife biologists have sought to resolve this issue for years, avidly searching for ways they can slow or reverse this trend. It turns out, the answer was right under their noses – quite literally.
Golf Course Wetlands Serve as Safe Havens for Turtles
Recent research over the past few years has discovered that golf courses can be used as havens for turtles, and could attract an even richer variety of species than ponds in more natural settings.
If your golf course features ponds or other wetland features, it’s likely that turtles live there. Golf courses often are the predominant green space in an urban environment. These become protected green islands surrounded by residential housing, chaotic streets and traffic.
Golf Courses No Longer Condemned by Environmentalists
These findings are the latest in a growing number of studies that show how golf courses, once condemned by environmentalists, can provide valuable wildlife habitats in a rapidly urbanizing world. Scientists have found that a golf course in the right location, built and maintained the right way, could be an oasis for animals ranging from turtles to bluebirds.
Turtles Abound in Golf Course Ponds and Farm Ponds
For turtles in North Carolina, golf ponds provide something that other ponds cannot. In Charlotte, North Carolina, galloping growth has consumed 60% of undeveloped lands. Researchers set out nets baited with sardines in twenty local ponds. These ponds were located on cattle pastures, parks and golf courses. When the scientists checked their nets and extracted their occupants by hand, they were surprised by their findings.
According to a paper published in the Journal of Herpetology, their survey discovered that two common species, the slider and the painted turtle, were equally abundant in farm ponds and golf course ponds, while neighborhood ponds were left behind as a distant third.
It is theorized that golf course ponds boast a richer variety of species than neighborhood ponds because golf courses often feature multiple ponds, lakes or streams. Likewise, the areas around golf course ponds tend to have stronger connections to other nearby green space, and these expansive stretches of grass are ideal for turtle nests.
