Research on the Spotted Turtle in Illinois began in 1988 by David Mauger and Dr. Edward O. Moll. The effort into understanding their population dynamics and spatial ecology has continued, and the project has become a multi-collaborator project. In the early phases, the research was led by collaborator Dr. Thomas P. Wilson, who continues to collaborate. Now with a long-term data set, we can answer demographic questions about the demography, life history, and viability of this species at its southern range limit. The culmination of the research represents a major portion of Christina Feng’s thesis work and will better guide conservation and management decisions for this rare Illinois turtle.
