If you spot an Eastern spiny softshell turtle in the Big Horn Basin, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department wants to know.

Spiny softshell turtles are a species of greatest conservation need in Wyoming due to their restricted range. Although populations are thought to be stable in eastern Wyoming, the public, local landowners, and regional biologists have reported declines in the Bighorn River Basin. Justin Autz, Game and Fish herpetologist, is leading a two-year research project to understand more about the species distribution and ecology in this portion of Wyoming.

“These turtles now appear to be rare and public reported sightings of spiny softshell turtles play an important role in local research by helping Game and Fish better locate sites for live trapping and marking turtles as part of an effort to learn more about these populations,” Autz said. Tips from the public, he said, led the department to many of the turtles they captured during a 2018 a pilot study.

“It’s a great opportunity for members of the public to get involved in citizen science and provide information that can help in local research,” Autz said.

The spiny softshell turtle is one of the largest in North America. They have a soft, flat, rubbery outer shell. Females can be up to 20 inches long and are generally twice as large as males.

The turtles are most active from May to September but are most frequently encountered in July and August. Their breeding season starts in May and they typically nest in sand or gravel bars starting in July.

In the Big Horn Basin, spiny softshell turtles have been found in the Bighorn River between Thermopolis and Bighorn Lake and in the Nowood River.

To report sightings, call or email Autz at justin.autz@wyo.gov or 262-337-3027. Citizens are asked to report the date of the observation and as specific a location as possible.