Wellfleet Bay's Conservation Work
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is actively involved with a variety of research projects that relate to wildlife monitoring, research, restoration, and conservation on the Outer Cape. Many of the projects focus on endangered or threatened species, or those that have declining populations. Current, on-going projects include:
- Protecting terns and plovers in the Coastal Waterbird Program
- Monitoring diamondback terrapins
- Surveying horseshoe crabs
- Mapping nesting ospreys
- Counting migrating hawks
- Restoring shellfish habitat
- Rescuing sea turtles
While we have dedicated science staff, the efforts of citizen science volunteers provide critical support to our science department, as well as to the wildlife themselves.
Wellfleet Bay is home to the most northerly population of the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). Through our conservation work, we hope to protect this enigmatic species and the salt marshes it calls home. Learn More >
Wellfleet Bay, in partnership with Eastern Massachusetts Hawk Watch and with permission from the Cape Cod National Seashore, has been conducting a spring hawk watch at Pilgrim Heights in Truro since 1998. Learn More >
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is working to help stranded sea turtles on Cape Cod. You can also help by reporting strandings. Learn More >
Horseshoe crabs have been crawling ashore on Cape Cod to mate on full moon nights for about 350 million years, and Mass Audubon seeks to ensure this ancient rite of spring continues. But increased harvesting of these fascinating animals threatens their population. Please volunteer today to help preserve these very special creatures. Learn More >
Field Notes: Citizen Science at Wellfleet Bay
Years ago, spring always meant the return of bird banding and research at Wellfleet Bay. The Austin family, whose summer home was on what is now the wildlife sanctuary, operated an important bird research station from the 1930s through the 1950s. There was another period of banding here in the 1980’s. Four springs ago, after a […]