Cape Cod Natural History Conference

On March 13th I attended the Cape Cod Natural History Conference hosted by Mass Audubon. A variety of interesting topics were discussed such as climate change, moths, sea turtles, seals, sharks and more. There were experts for each section that talked about the rescue, harm, and rehabilitation of their species of expertise.

As climate change progresses, it becomes increasingly important to understand the
expected effects on the natural and built environment to better prepare for and adapt to climate change impacts. Dr. Danielle Perry, Mass Audubon’s climate adaptation ecologist, completed climate vulnerability assessments of Mass Audubon (MAS) properties including Barnstable Great Marsh and Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuaries located in Cape Cod, MA. The studies evaluated expected impacts of sea level rise (SLR) on infrastructure and natural ecosystems within these sanctuaries. The vulnerability assessments consisted of 3 components: 1. Resource Prioritization; 2. Sea Level Rise Scenario Analysis; and 3. Site Conditions Assessments. Through the Resource Prioritization process, with the expertise of sanctuary staff and other MAS scientists, Dr. Perry assigned each sanctuary resource (natural and man-made) a numerical score based on its value to wildlife, the sanctuary, and surrounding communities.

The purpose of the moth survey was to expand upon current knowledge of the relationship
and importance of barrier dune habitats for moths. A total of 345 macro-moth species were identified from 69 light trap samples, eight bait nights, and one daytime netted sample during 2019. Four species, Simpstis riparia (Dune Noctuid), Lithophane viridipallens (Pale Green Pinion), Dargida rubripennis (The Pink Streak), and Abagrotis benjamini (Coastal Heathlands Cutworm) listed as Special Concern in the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act were recorded. Eighteen species were identified that are dune obligates or affiliates, suggesting that barrier dune habitats support a distinct moth community that that is threatened by both development and climate change.

A survey of sea turtle rehabilitation facilities in the United States revealed that 34

facilities released 11,417 sea turtles through 2016. The number of turtles released per time period increased over time, with 80% of releases occurring between 2007 and 2016, 15% between 1997 and 2006, and 5% prior to 1997. Twenty facilities reported a total of 314 first re-encounters and 6 second re-encounters of turtles that had been previously released, including 12 turtles encountered while successfully nesting. Results revealed substantial efforts to rehabilitate sea turtles in the United States, with some rehabilitated turtles surviving for extended periods after release, but with the fate of most remaining unknown. Greater efforts to determine the long-term outcome for a larger proportion of rehabilitation cases are warranted.


Over the past decade, the coastal waters off Cape Cod have emerged as the only

known aggregation site for the white shark in the western North Atlantic. During the summer and fall, white sharks patrol the shoreline in search of seals, bringing them in close proximity to popular beaches where people recreate. Since 2014, scientists have been intensely studying the population to learn more about how the species uses our local waters and provide data that can help inform beach management and public safety practices. As part of these efforts, researchers have collected large amounts of underwater video footage to identify and catalog individual white sharks, which can be distinguished based on coloration, fin shape, and scarring patterns. Records of sightings of individuals over time are being used to characterize and estimate the size of the population off our coast, and to learn about the visitation and residency rates of different sharks. In this talk, Megan Winton, the Atlantic White Shark.


Conservancy’s research scientist, will discuss how to identify individual white sharks and describe how the footage being collected is providing unprecedented insight into the lives of these mysterious apex predators. 

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