A shroud of secrecy surrounds information about the northern bog turtle, a threatened species that makes its home in meadows from Massachusetts to Maryland, prime suburb territory. Its presence has delayed road and water projects in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Michael Klemens, who is developing a federal plan to save the species, thinks it could be a mascot of the anti-sprawl movement. Aside from being threatened by development, the turtle is a favorite among poachers, who can get $1,500 a piece for the four-inch turtles. Researchers and state governments diligently protect their info about the turtle so it doesn’t get into the wrong hands.
