2020 Year of the Turtle – Sliders
They call it a slider… Maybe because they slide off a tree trunks into the water? Honestly, I really don’t know – but sliders it is. They are very common pond turtles all across the… Read More
Tag: Year of the Turtle
2020 Year of the Turtle – Diamondback Terrapins
In my time educating the public about Florida turtles I have found that most Floridians have not heard of diamondback terrapins. They have heard of, and seen turtles, but are not sure what the names… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – chicken turtles
Bet you have never heard of these? Chicken Turtles? But they exist! And the reason you probably have not heard of them is because, unlike so many other turtles, they do not spend a lot… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – box turtles
These are some of the more familiar Florida turtles we have. Working with youth, I often hear them called “snapping turtles” because (a) these are the most common turtles they encounter, and (b) snapping turtles… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – the spotted turtle
With the Spotted Turtle we begin a series of species that are often called “pond turtles”. These belong to one of the largest families – the Family Emydidae. It includes not only the spotted turtle… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – the musk turtles
As with mud turtles, full grown musk turtles are no bigger than your hand. They differ from mud turtles in that they have a single hinge on their plastron and the scutes just above that… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – the mud turtles
This is a new one for many of you… mud turtles. Most have never heard of them. They are very small turtles with oval shaped, domed shells that have hinges similar to box turtles. There… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – the softshells
These are some of the most unique turtles in the Order Chelonia. Softshells are very distinct with their flat, leathery shells and long tubular snouts. These guys like to lie beneath the sand of Florida’s… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – the snapping turtles
There are a couple of things you learn when working with youth in turtle education. 1) ALL turtles are snapping turtles 2) Snapping turtles are dangerous I grew up in a sand hill area of… Read More
2020 Year of the Turtle – Introduction
How cool, there is nothing wrong with other animals, but how cool for a year to be dedicated to turtles. And how fitting for the Florida panhandle. Based on the publication Biology and Conservation of… Read More