Check out that turtle!

  

The Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox) was one of my favorite animals that we saw today at Everglades National Park! Turtles are one of my favorite animals and I really enjoyed watching it swim around for a few minutes. So, I am going to tell you some facts about these cool turtles. 

 

The Florida softshell turtle can be found in Florida, south Georgia, and parts of South Carolina. They like to conceal themselves amongst mud or sandy bottoms in bodies of water such as marshes, ponds, and streams. They spend most of their time in or around the water and they hibernate during the winter months when the temperature gets a bit cooler. This is why the Everglades are a perfect habitat for these turtles. 

Softshell turtles can easily be identified by their webbed feet and pointy beak/tube-like nose. They are a dark brown/olive green color. Their shell is soft and almost looks like leather. 

The females are typically a few inches larger than the males. Young softshell turtles typically have lighter coloration and a rounder shape than adults. Their nesting season spans from late March through July. Females can lay anywhere from 9 to 38 eggs each nest and can nest 4 to 6 times per season. 

Softshell turtles’ necks are really long and can extend out to about halfway down their shell, so be careful going near them or helping them across the road because they can definitely give you a good bite. 

 

When it comes to food, softshell turtles tend to be carnivorous. They mostly feed on insects, fish, snails, and crustaceans. They can get aggressive when they feel threatened and they sometimes excrete a musk smell to warn off predators.

Florida softshells are not the only type of softshell turtle. There are a ton of other softshell turtles, some of which make up the largest freshwater turtles in the world. 

Thankfully, American softshell turtles such as the Florida, smooth, and spiny softshell turtles are currently not of concern. However, some other softshell turtles such as the giant softshell turtle are becoming endangered due to human consumption and habitat destruction. 

These turtles are really cool animals and are very unique looking. Getting to see one in its natural habitat was a really cool experience! 

#softshellturtle #evergladesnationalpark #giantsoftshell