Exact tracks of displaced wood turtles (Clemmys insculpta) with previously determined home ranges were obtained using thread-trailing devices in combination with radio telemetry.  Ten turtles were released at sites approximately one kilometer ENE and/or 0.75 kilometer WSW of their home stream hibernaculum.  Individuals were released from one to seven times.

Homing ability, track orientation, homeward orientation (directedness), travel rate, and rate of homeward movement (gain rate), under varying meteorological topographic, and vegetational conditions were examined.  Travel parallel to natural and unnatural guidelines (roads, streams, stone walls), was noted.

Wood turtles were capable of homing, goal-finding, and travelling along oriented paths.  Directedness values of animals in streams were significantly higher than in other habitat types.  Directedness values of animals travelling in areas with upward slopes were significantly higher than in other topography types.  Animals travelled significantly faster in areas with patchy herbaceous vegetation than in other areas.  They travelled significantly slower when there was no overcast than under other classifications of overcast.  There were slight trends towards increase in travel rate with increasing temperature and increase in gain rate with increasing humidity.  Effects of wind direction, canopy density, precipitation, circuitous vs. direct transportation to the release site were not significant.

There were no significant differences between track parameters of animals wearing electromagnets and control animals.  Tracks of anosmic animals were less oriented and less homeward-directed than their controls.

It is likely that wood turtles rely primarily upon their sense of smell to return home.  Subsidiary cues may include learned landmarks and topographic contours.  Availability of solar and/or magnetic cues were not essential to homing.

© Sharona S. Barzilay  1980