Since 2010, we have been studying two painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) populations on Lac Courte Oreilles, Wisconsin. Turtles are caught, measured, weighed, photographed, and released every June. We use these data to study long-term population growth and demography, and to answer questions about coloration and pigment physiology.

Painted turtle being held up to show ventral shell colors

Researcher taking a photograph of painted turtle

Measuring tape wrapped around a painted turtle to measure shell circumference

Bins of turtles next to a kayak after a successful morning of capturing

Bow of kayak with dip net resting on it, over water

Smiling researcher holding bins with individual turtles

Researcher adding fresh water to bins of turtles at the field station

Researcher leaning out of a canoe to look into the water

Researchers leaning off pier to release turtles back into the water

Two female and a male researcher standing together in front of a lake

Researcher measuring a turtle on a bright yellow towel

Bins of turtles awaiting data collection

Three female researchers sitting at the bow of a boat

Three female researchers posing with a turtle during data collection

How can you help?

If you’re an undergraduate or Masters student interested in helping with this project, contact Beth Reinke.

Adopt a Turtle!

The Adopt a Turtle program is a great way to help the turtle project continue. Long-term research is incredibly important but obtaining continuous funding can be difficult. Your support lets us continue to purchase expendable supplies (i.e., microchips) and helps students from Northeastern Illinois University travel to northern Wisconsin to get field experience.

By making a donation through the Northeastern Illinois University Foundation to the Adopt a Turtle Program, you will be able to “adopt” an individual turtle in Lac Courte Oreilles. For the next three years, you will receive information about your turtle’s unique identification number, the amount he or she has grown in the last year, and other specific information!

With your $25 turtle "adoption" you will get a unique turtle assigned to you! Every year for three years, we will send you a postcard with your turtle's identification number, date of capture, amount it has grown in the last year, and any other changes we record!

With your $50 turtle "adoption", you will get all of the above as well as a printed photograph of your turtle so you can see the plastron (ventral shell) pattern for yourself.

With every $100+ donation, you will get all of the above, plus the satisfaction of knowing that you not only allowed us to purchase multiple microchips (and therefore identify many more turtles!) but also that you helped NEIU students make the trip from Chicago to northern Wisconsin to participate in summer research.

Click here to Adopt a Turtle!

Please contact Dr. Beth Reinke (E-Reinke at NEIU.edu) with any questions or issues.