The northern map turtle of the Susquehanna River.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the town of Port Deposit, Maryland, has received a $150,000 grant to support the continued restoration of the historic Jacob Tome Gas House in Marina Park, an enhancement that could be a life saver for a specific species of turtle.
The Gas House will be converted into a state visitors center, as well as a research and education facility to support Towson University’s research on the endangered Northern map turtle, according to Town Administrator Vicky Rinkerman.
Towson University biology professor Richard Seigel and a team of students have been working to save the endangered northern map turtle since 2008. Together with remarkable support from the community and other partners, the efforts of Seigel and his students have become a model of unprecedented cooperation as they work to change the fate of a timid turtle.
