Turtles/tortoises
1. gopher tortoise
2.
red-eared slider
3. Florida softshell
4. Florida redbelly slider
|
 |
gopher tortoise, Archbold Biological Station, Florida, 2009.
I found this gospher tortoise eating grass on the edge of the road. It looked like a little cow grazing. |
|
gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus),
Archbold Biological Station, Highlands County, FL, USA. 2006.
|
|
turtle eating water lily flower buds, Shark
Valley, Everglades, FL, USA.
|
 |
Florida softshell (Apolone ferox),
Anhinga Trail, Everglades, FL, USA, 2007.
This large female was leaving the water to look for a place to lay her
eggs. The late morning temperature was high, but she still
wanted to make an attempt. Not even numerous tourist passing
her could change her mind. However, once she was on the hot
asphalt of the walkway, she decided to return to the water.
Large female Florida softshells have 75-90 cm long shells. |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
gopher tortoise, Archbold Experimental station, Florida, USA, 2009.
First tortoises are rather common at Archbold. I typically see at
least one sometimes two or three each time that I go to Archbold.
this tortoise had puncture wounds in its shell. I am not
sure where the puncture wounds came from, if it was an animal,
degradation from a parasite or microbe, or some kind of accident.
|
|
Florida redbelly slider (Pseudemys nelsoni),
Shark Valley, Everglades, FL, USA. 2007. This was a huge individual at
about 45 cm in diameter.
|
 |
Green iguana (Iguana
iguana) and possibly a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans),
Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, Miami, FL, USA. 2007. This tree was very
popular basking spot. Five iguanas and three turtles were using it.
|
 |
| Florida redbelly slider (Pseudemys nelsoni), Everglades,
FL, USA. 2007. |
|