Beyond the Textbook: Individuality Among Species in the Wild

Views:

145 views
Studying wildlife sometimes involves tracking animals using radio telemetry. By attaching a small transmitter to an animal, researchers can track their movements and learn about their habitat use. In telemetry studies I have been a part of, a major goal is to learn important information about how a species uses a given landscape. This helps us prioritize habitat restoration and protection efforts. In these studies, I’ve found that wild animals, even reptiles, possess unique personalities and behaviors that often deviate from typical descriptions in textbooks. Discovering individuality among species in the wild and getting to know their quirks and preferences, has been one of the most fascinating aspects of my work.
After I found this Timber Rattlesnake using foraging in a third wetland, I started to realize he was using the available habitat very differently than most other snakes in the same study.

My first experience with radio telemetry was with The Orianne Society, tracking Timber Rattlesnakes to identify critical foraging habitats. It quickly became clear to me that the individuals I was tracking had their own unique behaviors and habitat preferences. One large male, nicknamed “Flash,” was notorious for traveling great distances in short periods of time. He’d settle down in one spot for a week or two, then take off again. Other snakes in that study had more gradual movement patterns, and I could almost always pick up their radio telemetry signal from their last known location. Not Flash, however, who regularly traveled too far for my equipment to detect his signal between visits.

Another male Timber Rattlesnake spent most of his time foraging in shallow wetlands, a habitat rarely mentioned in literature describing the species’ habitat use. I repeatedly soaked my telemetry gear trying to get a visual on him, eventually realizing I was better off just triangulating his position from the shoreline. This experience revealed to me how wild animals sometimes defy the “textbook” behaviors we expect from them.

While I could usually detect telemetry signals from Timber Rattlesnakes from their last known locations, "Flash" was often too far away for me to detect, causing me to hike to nearby peaks in search of his signal.

Nearly a decade later, I began tracking Wood Turtles using radio telemetry for the first time in my career. It wasn’t long before I noticed again how individual behaviors and habitat preferences differed. One female, “Rocky,” spent most of her time on rocky outcrops in upland areas—habitat not typically associated with Wood Turtles. Her chosen habitat reminded me more of a Timber Rattlesnake den than of places where I’d expect to see Wood Turtles. At the other end of the habitat spectrum, another female preferred muddy wallows. If she was on dry land, her shell and transmitter were usually caked in mud. These examples illustrate that Wood Turtles, like Timber Rattlesnakes, display unique behaviors and habitat preferences.

This Wood Turtle, nicknamed Rocky, spent most of the spring and summer foraging in and around rocky outcrops, including here, where she also nested.

Movement patterns also vary greatly among Wood Turtles.  Some females rarely venture more than a quarter mile from their overwintering sites, but I’ve seen one travel nearly five miles through mostly upland habitat. This variation is true among males as well, but with average travel distances far exceeding those of females.

It is also clear that these animals’ personalities differ almost as much as their habitat use and movements. A male Wood Turtle nicknamed “Bruce” is one I’ve gotten to know quite well over the years. Without ever tracking Bruce using radio telemetry, I’ve seen him around 20 times, and he strikes me as a bit of an extrovert. Most Wood Turtles hide in their shells when approached or, at the very least, freeze in hopes that I won’t notice them. Bruce, however, just continues doing whatever he was doing. Once, while I was sitting on a streambank, he crawled up the bank next to me, tilted his feet toward the sun to bask, and fell asleep. He was well aware of my presence, but if he cared, that wasn’t apparent to me.

I have encountered a Wood Turtle named Bruce many times over the years, and in that time, have come to think of him as being very extroverted compared to the 'average" Wood Turtle.

Last year, Bruce was also one of the first two Wood Turtles I saw at the start of the season. He is often among the first to emerge each year, but this time, he was basking next to a very timid turtle I know as “Chunky.” I lost sight of both turtles as I moved upstream, looking for a safe place to cross. As I returned to the spot a minute later, I knew Bruce would still be basking and Chunky would be gone. Sure enough, that’s how things played out.

Two Wood Turtles on a streambank.
After seeing both of the turtles seen basking in this photo many times over the years, I knew that by the time I found a place to cross the stream and return to the spot that Bruce (closer) would still be there, but Chunky (farther) would be gone.

In some cases, variation in the personalities and behaviors of wild animals can have implications for conservation. Following textbook guidelines on a species’ preferred habitat might leave a significant portion of some populations without the resources they need. Something I’ve said many times about Wood Turtle management is that promoting a diversity of habitat types can have large benefits for the population. From an evolutionary standpoint, those outliers can sometimes save a species when the environment changes. For example, Wood Turtles prefer nesting on sand and gravel bars next to streams. If nesting in floodplains becomes unreliable due to increased summer floods, the smaller number of Wood Turtles already nesting in upland settings might help carry the species through a period of environmental change.

Understanding wildlife as a collection of unique individuals rather than as the average of their behaviors adds depth to conservation efforts and underscores the importance of protecting diverse habitats. By recognizing the personalities and varied habits of reptiles like Timber Rattlesnakes and Wood Turtles, we gain a richer appreciation for their adaptability and resilience. These differences aren’t just fascinating—they can have real implications for conservation. The more we embrace the complexity of wildlife, the better equipped we will be to ensure their survival in an ever-changing world.

Learn more about Timber Rattlesnakes and Wood Turtles, two of our priority species.