31+ Florida Turtles: ID Guide with Facts, Chart and Photos

If you love turtles, Florida is the place to go. Florida is known for its turtle diversity, and is even the most turtle diverse state in the United States. Not only that, but it is considered a turtle hot spot across the globe.

So, why is Florida such a great place for turtles?

The climate of Florida is temperate, and there are lots of freshwater waterbodies in the state. This creates the perfect habitat to a whole host of turtle species. Even the beaches are an ideal place for turtles. Five kinds of sea turtles will come to Florida beaches every year to mate.

There are over 30 different species of turtles found in Florida, both native and non-native. Today, we’re going to explore the turtles that live on land, as well as those that live in water.

Land Turtles in Florida

1. Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

Description

Carapace Size: 4 inches 6 inches (10 centimeters to 15 centimeters)

Color: Dark brown shell with yellow or orange markings. These colorings allow the turtle to blend in with the surrounding earth, fallen leaves, and other natural debris found in the forest.

The underside of the shell is hinged and is called a plastron. The plastron is bilobed, meaning that the turtle can almost completely close its shell. This is so that it can pull its head, tail, and legs inside of the shell when it feels threatened. The shell is also high and rounded, and it’s hard to the touch.

Their mouths have an upper jaw that is hooked, giving them a large overbite. The feet are partially webbed.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 25-35 years

Eastern Box Turtles reach sexual maturity at age 5. The mating season begins in the spring and doesn’t end until fall.

Males will mate with several females, or may mate with the same female several times. Females can store sperm for up to 4 years, so they do not mate every year.

Nesting occurs from May to June, and females will lay between 1-11 eggs, but usually lay 4-5. She will dig a nest in the soil and deposit the eggs where they will incubate on their own.

Eggs incubated at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 27 degrees Celsius) will most likely be male. Eggs incubated above 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) will most likely be female.

Habitat & Range

Habitat: Mostly terrestrial near vegetative areas like grasslands, woodland, and meadows. Also found near streams and ponds.

Range: Canada, Mexico, United States

Migration: Eastern Box Turtles never travel far. They will usually stay within a 656 feet (200 meters) diameter.

Diet

Eastern Box Turtles are omnivores. They will eat plants, mushrooms, fruit, fish, insects, eggs, amphibians, and carrion.

Predators & Threats

The main threat posed by humans is habitat destruction. Many woodland and wetland areas have been destroyed to create agricultural land, leaving the turtles vulnerable.

Natural predators include skunks, raccoons, snakes, dogs, coyotes, and crows.

2. Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri)

Description

Carapace Size: 4 to7 inches (11 to 18 centimeters)

Color: Dark brown shell with yellow markings

Florida Box Turtles also have a hinged plastron that they can close when they feel threatened. Like the Eastern Box Turtle, their shell is also steep and high-domed. The jaw is also slightly hooked and the feet have partial webbing.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 25-35 years

Like Eastern Box Turtle, Florida Box Turtle’s sex is determined by the incubation temperature. Anything 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) or above is likely to be female. Anything below that will likely be male.

Florida Box Turtles reach sexual maturity at the age of 5 years, and mating occurs from spring through fall. Males are likely to mate with multiple females, but will also mate several times with one female. The female can retain sperm for up to 4 years after mating.

A nest is dug into the soil where the mother will lay her eggs. They will incubate on their own before hatching. 3-8 eggs may be laid, but usually, 4-5 will be laid.

Habitat

Habitat: Mostly terrestrial, these turtles are found in woodlands, meadows, and fields. They can also be found near streams and ponds.

Range: North America from Maine to Florida on the east and west turtles in Michigan, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Migration: Box turtles do not travel far from home and will usually stay within a 656 foot (200 meters) diameter.

Diet

These turtles are omnivores and will eat insects, snails, mushrooms, fruit, amphibians, snakes, fish, birds, and eggs.

Predators & Threats

Florida box turtles don’t have many natural predators because of how they can close their shells. However, they are predated on by things like raccoons, skunks, and coyotes.

Humans threaten these turtles through habitat loss, death by vehicle, and being stolen for the pet trade.

3. Gulf Coast Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina major)

Description

Carapace Size: 7 inches (18 centimeters)

Color: Black or dark brown shell with yellow markings

Gulf Coast Box Turtles are the largest of the box turtle species. Like the other box turtles, the shell is very rounded and high-domed.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 40 years

Like the other box turtles, Gulf Coast Box Turtles mature at 5 years of age and will mate between spring and fall. The sperm can remain inside the female for up to 4 years after mating.

The females will dig a nest in the soil where she will deposit the eggs. They will then incubate alone. She will have 3-8 eggs, but will usually have 4-5 eggs. Incubation takes about 60-80 days.

Incubation temperatures above 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) will produce mostly females, while temperatures below that are likely to produce males.

Habitat

Habitat: Mostly terrestrial and can be found in swamps and marshes. Shallow water is better than deep water, and they like high humidity.

Range: Gulf Coast of Mexico as well as from Florida to Louisiana

Migration: Box turtles do not migrate and will stay within 656 feet (200 meters) of their original home.

Diet

Gulf Coast Box Turtles are omnivorous and can be seen eating things like snakes, amphibians, fish, flowers, eggs, birds, insects, slugs, snails, and different types of mushrooms.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include birds of prey like ravens and crows. Predators also include skunks, minks, raccoons, and snakes.

Threats by humans consist mainly of habitat loss, death by vehicle, and being stolen for the animal trade.

4. Three-Toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)

Description

Carapace Size: 4.5-5 inches (11.5-12.7 centimeters)

Color: Olive or brown coloration with yellow or orange markings. The underside of the shell is yellow and brown.

Like the other box turtles, the underside of the Three-Toed Box Turtle’s shell is hinged so that they can close themselves off completely. These turtles have 3-4 toes that are partially webbed. Their shells are high-domed and rounded.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 25-35 years

Like other box turtles, mating occurs in the springtime and will last until at least July. The female will dig a hole for her eggs and deposit them inside where they will incubate on their own for about 3 months. She will have between 3-8 eggs. She may have 1 or 2 clutches of eggs every mating season.

Habitat

Habitat: Mostly terrestrial and is found at the edges of forests and within fields and meadows. They can also be found near ponds and streams.

Range: Eastern Texas to the Florida Panhandle

Migration: These box turtles do not migrate and will usually stay within 2 to 5 acres (0.8 to 2 hectares) of their original home.

Diet

These turtles are also omnivorous and will eat mostly insects and earthworms. They have also been seen eating plants, mushrooms, and fruit.

Predators & Threats

Humans threaten these turtles because of habitat loss, death by vehicle, and people stealing them for the pet trade.

Natural predators include coyotes, birds of prey, and raccoons.

5. Chicken Turtles (Deirochelys reticularia reticularia)

Description

Carapace Size: 6-10 inches (15.3-25.4 centimeters)

Color: olive or dark brown carapace with yellow or orange markings. Their underside is yellow and they have yellow stripes on their legs and neck.

Chicken Turtles are recognized because they have long necks that are striped. The length of the head and neck alone is about 80% the length of their carapace. Their bodies are pear-shaped

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 15-24 years

Sexual maturity occurs around 2-3 years. To attract a female, the males will vibrate their front claws against the face of the female. Mating and nesting will occur over the fall and winter months, unlike most turtles. In Florida, nesting occurs from September to early March.

The females will create cylindrical nests on land and have a clutch of 2-19 eggs, although 9 eggs are average.

Eggs will go through a period of diapause — a suspension in development — until they experience a period of cooler temperatures. In Florida, eggs will hatch in 78-89 days at temperatures between 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (25 to 29 degrees Celsius).

Habitat

Habitat: Semi-aquatic. They prefer gentle water bodies like lakes, ponds, marshes, cypress swamps, and bays. They like water bodies that are abundant in vegetation.

They can be found basking on logs and rocks. They have been known to go onto land and burrow into the soil to escape dry conditions.

Range: Southeastern United States. In Florida, they are limited to peninsular Florida.

Migration: Chicken Turtles are semi-aquatic and will regularly migrate between terrestrial and aquatic locations. They do not travel far from their initial homes. Males will usually travel farther than their female counterparts.

Diet

Chicken Turtles are omnivorous and will feed on crustaceans, insects, fish, different types of plants, and tadpoles. These turtles have been found to be more carnivorous than most other turtle species.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include Eastern moles, raccoons, and snapping turtles.

Threats from humans include habitat destruction, death by vehicle, and hunting.

6. Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus)

Description

Carapace Size: 9-11 inches (23-28 centimeters)

Color: Brown, tan, or gray carapace. The underside is yellow or cream in color.

The hind feet of these turtles are flattened and stumpy. They are also unwebbed. The front feet, on the other hand, are more shovel-shaped so that they can dig.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 40-70 years

Not much is known about how these tortoises find their mates. Although, the males have been observed pacing in circles while bobbing their heads to likely attract mates. It is also likely that these turtles take more than one mate.

Breeding takes place from March through December. The female can have one clutch a year, but she won’t always have a clutch every year. She will lay between 5-8 eggs, but 6 eggs is average. Gestation will then take between 80-100 days.

Like most turtles, Gopher Tortoise’s sexes are temperature dependent. At temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit), all the eggs will be male. At 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit), they will all be female. Anything between that is likely to produce mostly males, but with a mix of females.

Habitat

Habitat: Terrestrial. They prefer areas that are dry and sandy with lots of vegetation that grows low to the ground. They can be found along coastal dunes, sandhills, scrubs, flatwoods, and prairies.

Range: Southeastern United States from the southern edge of South Carolina through parts of Louisiana. Most of these turtles are found in Florida.

Migration: The range that Gopher Tortoises call home may be as little as 0.1 to 8 acre (0.04 to 3.2 hectares). 

Diet

These tortoises are herbivorous and will feast on hundreds of different kinds of plants. Some of their favorites include wire grass, prickly pear, and blackberries. About 70-80% of their total diet comes from grasses.

Predators & Threats

The main threat by humans is habitat loss and degradation due to the build-up of agricultural and urban areas. 

Natural predators include raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, skunks, birds of prey, wild boars, and snakes. Eggs and juveniles are particularly vulnerable.

You may also like: Learn the Differences And Similarities Between Turtle vs Tortoise: With Chart, Images, Descriptions, and More!

Freshwater Turtles in Florida

1. Eastern River Cooters (Pseudemys concinna)

Description

Carapace Size: Up to 17.2 inches in length (43.7 centimeters)

Color: Bright green in coloration with light markings at the time of hatching. As they age, the markings on their shells darken. Adult shells may include colors of greens, yellows, blacks, and browns. The shells tend to be long, shaped like an oval, and flattened.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 20-40 years

Eastern River Cooters are polygynandrous and will have multiple partners throughout a single mating season. Because of this, as much as 30% of a single clutch may belong to multiple males. When the male wants to mate, he will stick his neck out to touch the female’s face.

Sexual maturity occurs around 6 years of age and nesting takes place between late April and the middle of July. The female can have between 1-6 clutches a season with 10-20 eggs in each clutch. The females can hold sperm inside their bodies for a while, so gestation can take between 10 weeks and 2 years.

Habitat

Habitat: Primarily found in rivers and lakes, but will occasionally be seen in ponds and swamps. They prefer areas with lots of aquatic and marine vegetation. Shallow water is preferred, with water being no deeper than 6.5 feet (2 meters).

They will occasionally come on land to bask and lay their eggs, but will do so within 98.5 feet (30 meters) of their aquatic habitat.

Range: North America, mostly in the eastern and central parts of the country. Their northernmost territory includes Ohio and are found all the way down to Florida. They are found as westward as Texas.

Migration: The home range for pond-dwelling turtles is about 1,313 square feet (122 square meters). River-dwelling turtles may have a home range as large as 3,660 square feet (340 square meters).

Diet

These turtles are mostly herbivorous, and their diet consists mostly of aquatic vegetation. They may occasionally be seen eating crayfish.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include raccoons, opossums, foxes, otters, and crows.

Threats by humans include poaching, death by vehicle, pollution, and habitat degradation.

2. Florida Red-Bellied Cooters (Pseudemys nelsoni)

Description

Carapace Size: 9.8 to 12 inches (25 to 30.5 centimeters)

Color: The top of the shell is red on juveniles. As they grow up, the red begins to fade and is less visible as adults. As adults, the carapace is a dark brown with the leftover red forming the shape of a “Y”. Their heads, arms, legs, and tails also exhibit bright yellow stripes.

The carapace is deeply domed, but is much wider than it is domed.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: About 25 years in captivity

Florida Red-Bellied Turtles are also polygynandrous and will have several mates throughout their lifetime. To attract a female, the male will swim above her and drum his claws against her head. Larger males have been known to grip the female’s heads and drag them.

Sexual maturity occurs between 6-8 years of age for females and 3 years for males. They will mate between April and July and the gestation period lasts about 45-60 days. The female can lay 3-6 clutches a season with 7-26 eggs per clutch.

Habitat

Habitat: They are found in freshwater and brackish water systems like lakes, rivers, and ponds. They prefer to be near water bodies with lots of aquatic vegetation. They do not like sandy substrates and will avoid water bodies with them.

They will occasionally be seen leaving the water to bask during the day and to lay their nests. Nests are created far from the water and eggs will sometimes even be left in alligator nests.

Range: Southeastern United States including most of Florida. They can also be found in Georgia, Texas, and the British Virgin Islands.

Migration: The hoe range centers around the turtle’s preferred basking site. They usually will only travel 131 to 410 feet (40 to 125 meters) from their basking site. Females will travel a significant distance outside their home range during mating season to find a good nesting spot.

Diet

These turtles are mostly herbivorous with aquatic vegetation making up the majority of their diet. Their favorite plants include waterweed, arrowhead, and duckweed.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include American alligators and different species of lizards.

Human threats include theft for the pet trade and poaching.

3. Peninsula Cooter (Pseudemys peninsularis)

Description

Carapace Size: 9.8 to 15.7inches (25 to 40cm)

Color: The carapace is dark in coloration with parallel lines running across it. These lines are typically yellow or orange. The carapace is moderately domed. The skin of the head and neck is also dark in coloration with yellow stripes.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30 years

Not much is known about the mating ritual of the Peninsula Cooter. Mating occurs when the turtles reach sexual maturity. This is about 5-7 years for females and 3-4 years for males.

Female turtles may lay up to 3 clutches per season with 11-16 eggs per clutch. Gestation takes about 72 days, but may take up to 150 days. The mother will seek out a sandy area to create her nest before laying her eggs.

Habitat

Habitat: Found in freshwater habitats like swamps, basin marshes, and occasionally tidal marshes. They prefer water bodies that are stagnant or slow moving. They prefer to have plenty of aquatic vegetation and places to lay out and bask. They also seek out locations with sandy substrate.

Range: Found in the Florida Peninsula

Migration: The home range of these turtle’s is unknown, although researchers believe that they create large home ranges. It’s also believed that they don’t leave these home ranges.

Diet

Peninsula Cooters are herbivorous and feed mostly on filamentous algae and aquatic vegetation. They have occasionally been seen eating small fish and insects, though.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include otters and alligators. The eggs are in danger from many other predators as well.

The largest human threat is habitat degradation and destruction. Nesting sites are being threatened by the degradation of the edges of waterways due to recreation. They are also in danger of thievery for the pet trade.

Besides humans, they are also threatened by Asian Carp, an invasive species that is quickly depleting the aquatic vegetation in the area.

4. Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)

Description

Carapace Size: 5.5 to 9 inches (14 to 22.8 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is dark gray to black. The skin is also a dark gray with black striping.

The carapace has a keel that is knobbed. The shell is higher domed, but has a deeper bridge. The hind legs of these turtles are large and the webbing on their feet extends past their nails.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 25 years

Diamondback Terrapins reach seuxual maturity around 7 years of age. Females will often have multiple clutches a year, and she will produce 4-8 eggs with each clutch. The incubation time lasts for 60-85 days.

When the female nests in April or May, she will create a nest that is 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) in the sand. Depending on how deep she digs the nest, and how warm the sand is, will determine the length of the incubation.

Hatchlings begin their lives in creeks that are brackish to mostly freshwater. As they become older, they will gradually begin moving to saltier marshes.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles are found in saltwater and brackish waters like lagoons, tidal flats, estuaries, marshes, coastlines, and brackish channels. Although they live in saltwater habitats, they still need access to freshwater for drinking.

Range: The eastern coast of the United States from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the Florida Keys. They can also be found along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas.

Migration: These turtles are not known to migrate and will stay within their home range.

Diet

Diamondback Terrapins are carnivorous and will feast on mollusks, crustaceans, insects, fish, and carrion. They can only eat soft shell mollusks and crustaceans, though, because they use the dull ridges in their jaw to crush the shells.

Predators & Threats

In the past, Diamondback Terrapins were ruthlessly hunted almost to the point of extinction. Fishermen excitedly went after their sweet-tasting meat, and they would often drown in crab traps as well.

Today, threats by humans include development along coastlines that destroys nesting areas.

Diamondback Terrapins have few natural predators, but raccoons, and other small mammals will hunt the eggs.

5. Barbour’s Map Turtle (Graptemys barbouri)

Description

Carapace Size: 3.5 to 5.5 inches (9 to 14centimeters) for males, 5.9 to 13 inches (15 to 33 centimeters) for females

Color: Dark brown or black skin. Yellow or green markings are also found on the skin. The back legs and the tail are also striped.

They have broad heads with a large blotch in between their eyes. This blotch is connected to blotches just behind the eyes and under the eyes. Behind the eyes is also a pattern in the shape of a “Y”. The chin has a “bar” that runs down the jaw.

The carapace is very domed with dark spines down each vertebral scute.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: Up to 31 years in captivity

When they want to mate, male Barbour’s Map Turtles will extend their neck to face the female. He will then take the sides of her head with his front legs.

Nesting occurs in June through early August, and the mother will lay her eggs next to a stream or river. The gestation period is about 58 days. She can have up to 4 clutches in a season, and will have 6-11 eggs in each clutch.

Habitat

Habitat: They can be found in large freshwater systems that have stony bottom substrates. They prefer water that is deep and fast-flowing, like rivers. The only time they will leave the water is to bask in the sun and create their nests.

Range: Southeastern United States in the Apalachicola and Chipola rivers that run throughout Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle.

Migration: The home range of these turtles is about 1,195 feet (365 meters) in length for males and 895.6 feet (273 meters) for females.

Diet

Barbour’s Map Turtles are carnivorous and the females will only eat mollusks as adults. Males will feed primarily on insects and their larvae.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include snakes and mammals like raccoons, skunks, and coyotes.

They are in danger from humans because of hunting, dredging, pollution, and water impoundment.

6. False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)

Description

Carapace Size: 3.5 to 5.9 inches (9 to 15 centimeters) for males, 4.7 to 11 inches (12 to 27 centimeters) for females

Color: The carapace can be brown, olive, or black. It will have dark spots enclosed by yellow rings. The underside of the turtle is yellow or cream-colored. The skin is also olive or brown, and there are yellow lines on the tail, legs, neck, and chin. There is a backwards “L” shape just behind the eyes.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30-50 years

Males will reach sexual maturity between 4-6 years of age and females will mature at 8-14 years.

When ready to mate, male False Map Turtles will seek out a mate using their keen sense of eyesight and smell. The female produces a unique scent from her anal vent that allows the male to find her.

Afterwards, he will court her by stroking her head and neck with the claws of his front feet. If she does not move, that is a sign that she wants to mate.

Mating occurs twice a year, in April, and again between October and November. Nesting occurs between the middle of May through July. The first clutch will then hatch between May and June.

Females can lay 2-3 clutches a year with 8-22 eggs in each clutch. Gestation lasts for 69-75 days.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles will inhabit mostly larger rivers and backwaters. They can also be found in places like lakes, ponds, drowned forests, and sloughs. They prefer water with slow currents and lots of aquatic vegetation.

Range: Found in the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers as well as their basins in the south and midwest.

Migration: Females will live in an area that is larger than males because they move between their overwintering areas and nesting areas. Besides this, there is not much information on how far their home range spans.

Diet

False Map Turtles are omnivores and will feed on things like mollusks, insects, larvae, and carrion.

Predators & Threats

Natural Predators include foxes, raccoons, otters, gulls, crows, grackles, and great blue herons.

Human Threats include habitat destruction, pollution, and collection for the pet trade.

7. Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum)

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern

Description

Carapace Size: 2.7 to 4.9 inches (7 to 12.5 centimeters)

Color: The carapace can be brown, yellow, olive, or black. The skin of the head and neck is usually brown with lighter colored stripes.

The shell has no patterning and it is smooth. The shell also contains only 11 scutes, while most turtles will have 12.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 20-40 years

Females will reach sexual maturaity at 5-8 years of age while males will reach maturity in only 4-7 years.

The Eastern Mud Turtle will breed between April and May. She will lay her eggs in June. A female can lay 1-3 clutches of eggs every year consisting of 1-6 eggs in each clutch.

Females will lay eggs in sandy, loamy soil, where she has dug a nest. 

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles can be found in slow, shallow waters with softer substrates. They prefer bodies of water with lots of aquatic vegetation.

Range: Eastern United States from Long Island, New York to the entire state of Florida. It is also found along the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi Valley.

Migration: The home range of these turtles is only 656 to 1,312 feet (200 to 400 meters) around their watery habitat and their nest.

Diet

Eastern Mud Turtles are omnivores that will feed on plants, vegetation, fish, carrion, amphibians, mollusks, insects, and crustaceans.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include alligators, great blue herons, snakes, and snapping turtles.

Human threats include death by vehicle, habitat destruction, and collection for the pet trade.

8. Florida Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum steindachneri)

Description

Carapace Size: 5 inches (12.7 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is dark in coloration without any kind of markings. Lightly colored stripes are found around the eyes, the nose, and underneath its head.

The shell is also shaped like an oval and has two movable hinges.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: About 20 years

Not much is known about the mating habits of Florida Mud Turtles.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles can be found in freshwater bodies like ponds, lakes, and swamps. They can also be found in rivers where the water runs slowly. They prefer slow-moving waters with lots of aquatic vegetation and sandy substrate.

Range: Florida — mostly in Orlando

Migration: Unknown

Diet

Florida Mud Turtles are omnivores that will eat mollusks, worms, eggs, fish, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, vegetation, and algae.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators likely include mammals like raccoons, skunks, and coyotes.

These turtles are not endangered, but are likely threatened by humans through habitat destruction and pollution.

9. Striped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon baurii)

Description

Carapace Size: 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is a dark brown or olive color with three light colored vertical stripes. The skin of the head also has yellow stripes.

The plastron of the Striped Mud Turtle is double-hinged. You can also tell the males and females apart because the male’s tail will be longer and thicker.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 40-50 years

Unlike most turtles in this area, the Striped Mud Turtle will nest in the fall after mating July through October. The female will lay 1-4 eggs which have an incubation period of 3-4 months. She can have up to 6 clutches in a single year.

Similar to many turtles, the temperature that the eggs are incubated at determines the sex of the young.

Temperatures above 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) will mostly be female. Temperatures between 70.7 to 72.5 degrees Fahrenheit (21.5 to 22.5 degrees Celsius), most of the offspring will be male. Temperatures between 71 to 72.5 degrees Fahrenheit (21.5 to 22.5 degrees Celsius) will also mostly be female.

Some of the eggs will stop developing in temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).

Habitat

Habitat: Freshwater areas like swamps, ponds, and canals. They can also survive in brackish water. They like slow-moving water with soft substrates.

Range: Throughout Florida

Migration: The length of their home range is not known, but females have been known to travel as far as 820 feet (250 meters) just to nest.

Diet

Striped Mud Turtles are omnivores who will eat plants, algae, insects, mollusks, and carrion.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include great blue herons and alligators.

Human related threats include habitat degradation and water pollution.

10. Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)

Description

Carapace Size: 3 to 5 inches (8 to 14 centimeters)

Color: The carapace will be black or brown in color. The skin is a dark olive coloration that borders on black. Two yellow lines line the snout, down to the neck. There is one on each side of the eye.

The carapace is also smooth and shaped like an oval. The shell is smooth as adults, but when they are young, the shells are rough and darker in coloration. They also have barbels on the chin and the underside of their neck.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30 years

Common Musk Turtles can have 2-3 clutches a year, and there will be 1-9 eggs in each clutch. The incubation period is 60-84 days.

When they are ready to lay the eggs, they will choose a location along the edge of the water where the eggs will be hidden under dead leaves.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles can be found in streams, rivers, ponds, or clear-water lakes. They prefer water that is shallow, and can often be seen basking on fallon logs.

Range: Eastern United States from the northeast Great Lakes region down to Florida. They can also be found as west as Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and parts of Texas.

Migration: The size of their home range is not known.

Diet

Common Musk Turtles are omnivorous and opportunistic. They will feed on things like mollusks, fish, insects, plants, and carrion. They will forage for food on the bottom of muddy streams and ponds.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include raccoons, snakes, and snapping turtles. The juveniles may also be preyed on by bullfrogs.

Humans pose little threat to this species, however there is concern for habitat degradation and water pollution.

11. Loggerhead Musk Turtle (Sternotherus minor)

Description

Carapace Size: 2.9 to 4.5 inches (7.5 to 11.5 centimeters)

Color: The color of the carapace can be dark brown or orange, but the border around the shell is always darker. The skin will be brown or gray and is mottled

Loggerhead Musk Turtles also have feet that are webbed. The males have larger tails and heads than the females.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: Up to 21 years

Female Loggerhead Musk Turtles actually have an ovarian cycle that continues throughout the whole year. It does slow down in the summer months, however. Ovulation will take place from October through July and mating occurs most often in April and May.

Mating occurs after the female has approached the male. He begins the mating process by smelling her anal region and mounts her. These turtles will have several mates throughout a single season, and in some cases, multiple males will try to mate with a female at once.

Sexual maturity occurs in females around 5-8 years of age, while maturity occurs in males at 3-6 years of age. After mating, gestation lasts for 3-7 weeks. The female can lay 1-5 clutches in a season, each containing 1-5 eggs. The incubation period then lasts for about 99 days.

Habitat

Habitat: Springs, ponds, swamps, rivers, and oxbow lakes. They prefer water bodies that have plenty of aquatic vegetation and like waters with a faster flow. They are not picky about the substrate and will live in areas with either sand or rocky bottoms.

They also prefer to live in shallow bodies of water, preferably 1.6 to 4.9 feet (0.5 to 1.5 meters) deep. However, they have been found in water as deep as 42.6 feet (13 meters).

Range: Southeastern United States from central Florida to Virginia. They can also be found as far west as Louisiana.

Migration: Loggerhead Musk Turtles will usually stay within a home range of 1,118 feet (341 meters).

Diet

These turtles are omnivorous and will feed on aquatic plants and invertebrates. Their main food source includes insects, crayfish, and clams.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include alligator snapping turtles, American alligators, and cottonmouth snakes. The eggs are vulnerable to raccoons and crows.

Humans are a threat to these turtles because of pollution, hunting, and bycatch. Boat propellers are also a common threat for this species.

12. Southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys dorsalis)

Description

Carapace Size: 4-5 inches (10-14 centimeters)

Color: The carapace can be olive brown to almost black in coloration. There is a bright yellow or orange stripe running down the center of the carapace. The border of the shell is commonly orange or yellow as well. The underside of the turtle is yellow, sometimes with a brown blotch at the center.

You will also notice yellow stripes on the side of the head and chin. There are also noticeable yellow spots behind both of their eyes.

The Southern Painted Turtle is the smallest painted turtle in North America.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30 years

Mating occurs between April and June. When the female searches for a nest, she will seek out a location that is facing south. She will also choose a location that has a slight slope to it with loose dirt or sand and lots of vegetation.

The female will have 4-20 eggs in a clutch, and the incubation period lasts for 8-9 weeks.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles are found in swamps, streams, oxbow lakes, and sloughs. They prefer shallow, gentle water bodies with muddy substrate. They also need to have plenty of basking spots.

Range: Southwestern United States

Migration: The home range of the Southern Painted Turtle isn’t known.

Diet

The diet of the Southern Painted Turtle consists mostly of invertebrates like snails, insects, and crayfish. They have also been known to eat some plant material.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators consist of raccoons, coyotes, minks, otters, alligators, and birds of prey.

Human threats include habitat destruction and death by vehicle.

13. Yellow-Bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta)

Description

Carapace Size: 5 to 8 inches (14 to 20 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is brown to olive green. There is a yellow patch on the side of the head. You can also see yellow spots behind the eyes which are more vivid in females and juveniles.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30-40 years

Courting will begin over fall and winter, but mating itself doesn’t occur until spring. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she will use her back feet to dig a hole into the ground. The female will lay 4-12 eggs, and the incubation time is about 3 months.

Habitat

Habitat: Yellow-Bellied Sliders can be found predominantly in streams and ponds. They are also found in bays, oxbow lakes, sloughs, swamps, rivers, and lakes. They are happiest in locations with lots of floating aquatic vegetation.

Range: Southeastern United States from Virginia to northern Florida. They are found as far west as Texas and Central America.

Migration: The exact migration distance is not known, but these turtles will remain close to their home waters. They are semi-aquatic and will travel to lay their eggs as well as to move to their chosen hibernation spot. 

Diet

Yellow-Bellied Sliders are mostly carnivorous. The juveniles will feed on insects, tadpoles, and dead fish. The adults will eat insects, fish, tadpoles, and frogs. Adults have also been known to eat some vegetation like leaves, stems, fruits, and algae.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include raccoons, skunks, opossums, and foxes.

Human threats likely include habitat destruction and degradation, death by vehicle, and collection for the pet trade.

14. Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temminckii)

Description

Size: 13.8 to 31.8 inches (35 to 80.8 centimeters)

Color: Dark brown to black carapace and skin

Alligator Snapping Turtles are formidable and are one of the largest freshwater species of turtle in the world. You’ll know you’ve spotted one by the three large ridges that run vertically down the center of the carapace.

Their heads are very large and their jaws are extremely powerful. One thing that makes them unique is that their eyes are found on the side of their head.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 11-45 years

It is believed that female Alligator Snapping Turtles only mate once a year. Some turtles that have been observed have only laid eggs once every other year.

Sexual maturity occurs around 11-13 years of age for both males and females.

Mating occurs in early spring, and they will lay their eggs about 2 months after mating. A nest is dug about 50m from the water. The female can lay anywhere from 8 to 52 eggs and incubation will occur for 100-140 days.

Habitat

Habitat: Alligator Snapping Turtles can be found in freshwater areas that are deep. This includes rivers, lakes, swamps, and canals. As juveniles, they are more commonly found in streams.

Range: Northern Florida to Southern Georgia, and across the Gulf Coast states to Texas. They are found as far north as Illinois and Kansas.

Migration: The home range of Alligator Snapping Turtles is significantly larger than that of most other turtles. Females may travel up to 2,864 feet (873 meters), while males usually only travel about 1,578 feet (481 meters).

Diet

Alligator Snapping Turtles are carnivorous and they will actively hunt for food as well as scavenge. They will lie at the bottom of lakes with their mouths open. The tongue looks like a nice piece of bait to draw in the fish.

Their diet consists mainly of fish, molluscs, and other turtles. They may also consume frogs, snakes, worms, snails, crayfish, clams, and insects.

Predators & Threats

Eggs are very vulnerable to large fish, birds, and raccoons. Juveniles are also at risk of being eaten by larger turtles, including other Alligator Snapping Turtles.

Humans have exploited these turtles because of harvesting, but they were denied a spot on the Endangered Species Act.

15. Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Description

Carapace Size: Carapace length of 8 to 19 inches (20 to 48 centimeters)

Color: The carapace can be tan to very dark brown and almost black. The head is also dark, but the legs, tail, and neck is a yellow coloration.

The tail alone is almost as long as the shell. The thing that makes snapping turtles so dangerous is the plastron — or the underside of the shell — because it’s so small. It leaves most of the turtle’s limbs and extremities exposed. This allows them a lot of flexibility so that they can bite more easily.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: Up to 30 years

Not much is known about the courtship of these turtles other than the males will fight over the females. Mating occurs from April through November, and most of the egg laying occurs in June and July.

The female will dig a hole into sandy soil before depositing her eggs. She will lay between 25-80 deggs which will incubate for 9-18 weeks.

Habitat

Habitat: They can live in fresh or brackish water in places like ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers. They can also be found in swamps and marshland. They prefer deeper bodies of water with lots of vegetation and muddy substrate.

Range: Common Snapping Turtles have a wide range from Nova Scotia in the North, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and central Texas in the southwest.

Migration: These turtles will travel for several miles/kilometers between their home water and their nesting site.

Diet

Common Snapping Turtles are opportunistic hunters and scavengers. They will eat just about anything they can. This includes things like invertebrates, fish, birds, amphibians, small mammals, and carrion. They are also known to eat some aquatic vegetation.

Predators & Threats

There are not many natural predators of adult Snapping Turtles. The eggs, however, are commonly scavenged by great blue herons, crows, skunks, foxes, raccoons, and foxes. Once in the water, the juveniles are threatened by large fish, water snakes, bullfrogs, and other adult snapping turtles.

Unlike Alligator Snapping Turtles, Common Snapping Turtles are not in nearly as much danger from humans. Still, they do face habitat destruction and hunting threats.

16. Florida Softshell Turtle (Apalone ferox)

Description

Carapace Size: 11 to 24.8 inches (28 to 63 centimeters) for females, 5.9 to 13 inches (15 to 33 centimeters) for males

Color: The color of the carapace is dark brown or olive in color. The underside of the turtle is gray or white.

The carapaces of Florida Softshell Turtles are bumpy and leathery, hence the name “softshell”. The carapaces are also longer than they are wide, and they do not have any scutes. 

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: About 20 years

The majority of Florida Softshell Turtles will breed every year, and they will hold eggs between March and July. The males will produce sperm in September and October, so mating likely takes place between March and May.

Nesting occurs in March through July in Florida, and the female may have 2-7 clutches every season, with 9-24 eggs in a clutch. In total, females can have up to 225 eggs in one year. Incubation will then take 56-80 days.

Habitat

Habitat: They can be found in lakes, ponds, marshes, and swamps. They prefer substrates of sand or mud. They can occasionally be found at the opening of streams where the water is brackish. They prefer water that is slow-moving.

Range: Southeastern United States as far north as southern South Carolina, all the way south through Florida. They can be found as far west as Alabama.

Migration: Not enough is known about the migration habits of this species.

Diet

Florida Softshell Turtles are almost completely carnivorous and like to feed on snails, crustaceans, fish, insects, amphibians, and turtles that are smaller than they are. They have also been known to eat aquatic vegetation and seeds.

Predators & Threats

The only natural predators of adult Florida Softshell Turtles are alligators. The juveniles are more vulnerable and are predated by large fish and turtles, snakes, birds of prey, herons, egrets, skunks, and otters. The eggs are also scavenged by skunks, raccoons, black bears, and foxes.

These turtles are threatened by humans through habitat destruction and overfishing.

17. Gulf Coast Smooth Softshells (Apalone mutica calvata)

Description

Size: 16.5 to 35.6 inches (42 to 90.4 centimeters) for females, 11.5 to 26.6inches (29 to 67.5 centimeters for males

Color: The carapace is olive to orange in coloration. The females are usually more tan or brown, while the males are usually more brown or gray. They also have large dark spots on the carapace. The underside of the turtle is white. So white, in fact, that you can see the internal bones.

Rather than being covered by hard scutes like most turtles, softshell turtle shells are covered by skin.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: About 20 years

Breeding occurs between June and September, and it will take place in deep water. Nesting will then occur between May and July, and the female will dig a nest in a sandbar 5.9-13 inches (15-30 centimeters) deep.

Females will only lay a single clutch in a year, and that clutch will consist of 15-25 eggs. Incubation lasts for 8-12 weeks, usually in August or September.

Habitat

Habitat: Gulf Coast Smooth Softshell turtles are found along large river systems like the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers. They prefer large rivers with fast-flowing water. They like sandy or muddy substrates, and they don’t like a lot of aquatic vegetation.

They have also been spotted in lakes, ponds, bogs, and drainage ditches.

Range: Temperate areas of North America through the central and south-central United States. They can be found as far north as Pennsylvania and as far south as the Florida panhandle. They are found as far west as New Mexico.

Migration: Information about the home range of this species is not well studied.

Diet

Gulf Coast Smooth Softshell Turtles are carnivorous and will eat fish, amphibians, mollusks, spiders, and insects.

Predators & Threats

They have few natural predators, but are still predated by alligators. Young turtles are at more risk, being predated by fish, larger turtles, mammals, water snakes, and birds.

Human threats include water pollution because of the solubility of their carapace. They are also at risk of habitat degradation, hunting, and boats disturbing nesting sites.

18. Gulf Coast Spiny Softshells (Apalone spinifera aspera)

Description

Carapace Size: 4.9 to 11 inches (12.7 to 24 centimeters) for males, 11 to 15.7 inches (24 to 48 centimeters) for females

Color: The carapace is olive or tan with black spots. A darker rim can be seen around the edge of the carapace. There is a yellow stripe on either side of the head that is rimmed with black. They also have similar stripes running down either side of the neck.

Like all softshell turtles, the Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell turtle has a soft carapace that is flat and round. There are no scutes, but the edges of the shell are lined with small spines. These turtles have long and tapered noses, and the nose is turned upwards at the end.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: Up to 50 years

When they are ready to mate, the male will come up to a female while swimming and nudge her head. If she is receptive, mating will commence. Unlike most turtle species who will grasp the females will mating, the male Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell turtles don’t do this.

These turtles will reach sexual maturity around 8-10 years of age, and they will mate sometime during the mid to late spring. When the female is ready to lay eggs, she will do so along a sandbar that is close to the water.

The females can have multiple clutches in one season with 9-38 eggs in each clutch. The eggs will usually hatch between August and September. Sometimes, eggs will incubate throughout winter and won’t hatch until the next spring.

Habitat

Habitat: Gulf Coast Spiny Softshells can be found in freshwater systems like rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes. They have even been found in some of the bays of the Great Lakes.

They prefer open-water habitats that don’t have much aquatic vegetation. They also like water bodies that have sandy or muddy substrate. There also needs to be sand on land nearby for the turtles to build their nests.

Range: These turtles can be found as far north as South Carolina and as far south as the Florida panhandle.There territory goes west across the Gulf Coast just shy of Texas. .

Migration: The migration habits of these turtles is not well known.

Diet

Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell turtles are mostly carnivorous. Their diet consists mainly of insects and crayfish. They will occasionally eat small fish as well.

Predators & Threats

The eggs are most at risk from natural predators. Mammals like foxes, skunks, and raccoons will dig up the nests for the eggs. The adults on the other hand, have no natural predators.

Humans are a threat to these turtles because of hunting, pollution, habitat destruction, and development near nesting sites.

19. Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)

Description

Carapace Size: 4.5 inches (11.4 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is black or dark brown in coloration and has numerous yellow spots. As the turtles get older, these spots begin to fade. In some older turtles, no spots can be seen at all. The underside of the turtle is yellow or orange with a large black spot covering a large portion of it. The skin of the head is also black with yellow spots.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: About 25 years

Sexual maturity takes place between 7-14 years of age. The turtles are ready to mate in the springtime, just after they come out of their winter dormancy. To get a female, the male will chase her through the water while biting at her legs and shell.

Nesting will occur from late May to June. The females usually only have one clutch a year with 1-8 eggs in the clutch. Incubation can take 44-83 days, with development occurring faster in warmer temperatures. The babies will usually hatch between August and September.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles can be found in bog-like ponds, tamarack swamps, meadows, sphagnum seepages, and slow-moving streams. They prefer water that is shallow with a soft substrate at the bottom. Unlike most of these aquatic turtles, the Spotted Turtle may live on land for weeks at a time, traveling between wetland areas.

Range: The Spotted Turtle has two separate ranges. The first runs up the east coast of the United States from Southern Maine down through Florida. There have also been a few isolated populations found in parts of Quebec and Vermont.

The second range goes from Illinois into parts of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and southern Ontario.

Migration: Spotted turtles don’t travel far, but they will frequently travel between wetlands looking for food, mates, or a place to rest for the winter.

Diet

Spotted Turtles are omnivorous and their diet consists of worms, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, amphibian eggs, carrion, algae, leaves, and seeds.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators include mammals like raccoons, skunks, and coyotes.

These turtles have been threatened by humans because of habitat destruction and development. Most of their wetland habitat has been converted into agricultural and residential land.

Most of the Spotted Turtle populations are now isolated with no way to reach other populations. These turtles are also at extra risk of human exploitation because of low egg survival rates, late sexual maturity, and low reproduction rates.

You may also like: Check out these 15 Otherwordly Types of Jellyfish and Learn Which are Harmful and Which are Not: With Images, Facts, and More!

Marine Turtles in Florida

1. Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

Description

Carapace Size: 33.4 to 39.3 inches (85 to 100 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is generally reddish-brown and will usually have a bit of olive coloration as well. The underside of the turtle is cream or yellow colored, and the skin is usually a dull brown.

Loggerhead Turtles have very large and powerful heads, hence their name. Their carapace is shaped like a heart.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30-62 years

Sexual maturity occurs somewhere between 10-30 years of age. When Loggerheads are ready to mate, they will migrate to the mating grounds. To court a female, the male will circle the female before moving towards her to bite her neck.

Mating occurs in the early summer. Females may lay several clutches in one season, but she will need to have a new mate for each clutch. The female will generally nest every 12-17 days, between 2-5 times total. With each nesting, she will produce 110-130 eggs which will incubate for 45-80 days.

Habitat

Habitat: Where these turtles like to spend time depends on what stage of life they’re in. Adult females will go ashore to high energy beaches with steep slopes to lay their eggs. Hatchlings seek the ocean the moment they hatch, and juveniles drift along the ocean currents in warm waters.

Adults and older juveniles are generally found along coastal waters where the substrate is muddy or rocky. They can also be seen near coral reefs, marshes, and lagoons.

Range: Across the world in temperate oceans. They are found across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. They are also found in the Mediterranean Sea.

Migration: They will travel to tropical and subtropical waters over the winter months.

Diet

Loggerhead turtles are mostly carnivorous, but will eat algae on occasion. Generally, their diet consists of horseshoe crabs, bivalves, whelks, conchs, and barnaches. They have also been known to eat jellyfish, sponges, cephalopods, shrimp, and fish.

Predators & Threats

Sea turtles are not able to pull their extremities into their shells like other turtles do. Usually, their speed and hard shell is enough to protect them, but not always. Loggerhead turtles are so large, though, that their only natural predator is sharks.

Juveniles and eggs, however, are in far worse danger. Eggs are horribly raided by raccoons and red foxes. In parts of the world where these turtles aren’t protected, humans will also raid the nests. Once hatched, large numbers of hatchlings are eaten by crabs, birds, raccoons, and foxes before they can ever reach the water. 

Loggerheads are threatened by humans through bycatch, and exploitation in countries that use them for food. They are also threatened by habitat destruction, boating accidents, oil spills, and sea water rise.

2. Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Description

Carapace Size: Up to 5 feet (1.5 meter)

Color: Unlike what you’d think, these turtles aren’t named because of the color of their shell. Instead, they are named for the color of their skin which is a dark green.

Green Sea Turtles are very large, and their carapace is wide and smooth. The head of these turtles is round, but their snout is short. The beak found at the edge of the jaw is incredibly powerful.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: Up to 75 years

Sexual maturity usually will not be reached until 25-50 years of age. When it is time to mate, the adults will migrate long distances to reach their mating beaches. Females will mate once every 2-4 years, and breeding occurs between June and September. 

A female can lay between 1-9 clutches of eggs each breeding season. She will have between 100-200 eggs at once which will hatch in 45-75 days.

Habitat

Habitat: They prefer shallow water such as along coastlines. They also prefer areas with lots of aquatic vegetation like seagrass and algae.

Range: Green Sea Turtles are found in tropical and subtropical waters. They can be found near Cyprus and Turkey during their breeding season in June through August. However, they’ve been seen nesting at 140 beaches around the world.

Migration: They are a very migratory species and can be found at latitudes as far as 40 degrees north and south. Overall, they can be found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and northern Indian oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea. 

Diet

As juveniles, Green Sea turtles are omnivorous, but as they become adults, their diet shifts to include more plant matter.

When they are young, Green Sea Turtles will eat small invertebrates, sea serpents, moss-like animals, sea hare eggs, and wetland plants. As they grow older, they will eat more vegetation including salt-water cordgrass, red and green algae, sea lettuce, green seaweed, and crinkle grass. Juveniles may eat these too, but it’s more common in adults.

Predators & Threats

As with most sea turtles, the Green Sea Turtle eggs and juveniles are at a much higher risk of predation than the adults. The eggs are dug up and eaten by mammals like raccoons, foxes, jaguars, golden jackals, and feral dogs. They are also hunted by crabs and even lizards. 

Juvenile turtles are most at risk from crabs and saltwater crocodiles as they make their way from their eggs to the water. Once in the water, they can be eaten by tiger sharks and whitetip sharks.

Adult Green Sea Turtles are large enough that they are not often predated. However, they may still be hunted by sharks.

Humans threaten these turtles through hunting, fishing, and bycatch. In many countries, fishing methods like harpooning, netting, and noosing are common practices. Their nesting practices may also be interrupted by the presence of artificial light which confuses and disorients them.

3. Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Description

Carapace Size: Up to 6.9 feet (2.1 meters)

Color: The skin is generally dark brown or black.

The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the largest turtle species in the world. They have no visible shell, but it is still there. It exists underneath their skin. The carapace has seven ridges that you can clearly see along its back. There are also five ridges on its underside.

These turtles can survive in temperatures much colder than other sea turtles. This is because of their blood vessels that act like a counter-current to exchange heat. They also have a much thicker layer of insulation consisting of fat and oil in their skin.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 45-50 years

The females are the only ones that will come onto land to lay their eggs. Males never leave the water. Instead, they will swim close to the breeding grounds in search of a female. They will seek out as many females as they can to mate with.

After mating occurs in the water, the female will crawl ashore overnight to lay her eggs. Females can have 5-7 clutches a year, one clutch about every 9-10 days. They will return to the same nesting site to lay their eggs, about once every 2-3 years.

With each clutch, the female will lay between 50-70 eggs, and they will hatch between 55-75 days.

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles mainly live in the open ocean, but they can be found along coastlines when searching for food and while breeding. They have been found in waters as deep as 4,035 feet (1,230 meters).

Range: Leatherback Turtles can be found in temperate and tropical oceans across the world. Some have even been found at the edges of subarctic waters, and they are found further north than any other sea turtle.

They can be found in the north Atlantic ocean as far as Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. They are also found in south Atlantic waters as far south as Argentina and South Africa.

Migration: Leatherback Turtles mainly like to inhabit the open ocean, but they will come to beaches during mating season. During this time, they can be found on beaches in Trinidad, West Africa, Costa Rica, Thailand, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Florida, among many others.

Diet

These turtles are strictly carnivores who feed mainly on jellyfish and saps. They have also been known to eat small crustaceans, fish, sea urchins, snails, and cephalopods.

Unlike other sea turtles, Leatherbacks don’t have powerful jaws made for crushing. This is why you won’t often see them eating hard-shelled prey.

Predators & Threats

As usual, the eggs and juveniles are most at risk from natural predators. Eggs may be eaten by ghost crabs, lizards, birds, and mammals. These are the same predators that will generally eat juveniles on their journey from the egg to the ocean. Birds of prey and gulls will also join in on the hunt.

Once the juveniles reach the ocean, they are in danger from cephalopods, requiem sharks, and large fish.

Adult Leatherbacks have few natural predators, but they may be attacked by large sharks, orcas, and even jaguars while they’re nesting.

Leatherback Sea Turtles are in serious danger because of humans because of commercial fishing. Most often, they are caught accidentally and drown in nets, trawls, and longlines. However, in some countries, people will harvest the eggs for food.

Pollution is also a major concern because these turtles are known to swallow plastic that they believe is a jellyfish.

4. Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Description

Carapace Size: 21.6 to 29.5 inches (55 to 75 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is a gray color with hues of olive. The underside of the turtle is a cream or yellow color.

Opposite of the Leatherback, the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is the smallest species of sea turtle on earth. However, they are excellent, fast swimmers due to their streamlined carapace.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30-50 years

Kemp’s Ridleys are solitary turtles and will generally only meet up with other turtles when it’s time to mate. They will reach sexual maturity between 11-35 years of age.

The nesting season goes from April through July. Females will congregate together on a beach in what is called an “arribada”. They will most often nest at beaches along the Gulf Coast. As with most turtles, the mother will dig a hole deep in the sand to store her eggs.

Female Kemp’s Ridleys will nest every 2-3 years. They can have 1-9 clutches every breeding season, with 50-200 eggs per clutch.

Habitat

Habitat: Kemp’s Ridley Turtles like to stay close to coastal locations like bays and lagoons. They like waters with muddy or sandy substrate. They will sometimes be seen in the open ocean, but it is not very common. Despite this, they can dive to great depths. They also don’t like to get too close to the shoreline, and are more commonly seen just offshore.

Range: They can be found in the waters from Nova Scotia to Nowfoundland and the Bermudas.

Migration: When these turtles are nesting, they can be found along the Gulf of Mexico. There are two different routes that migrating turtles might take: north towards Mississippi or south towards the Yucatan Peninsula.

Diet

Kemp’s Ridleys are omnivorous, but will feast mostly on meat. Their diet includes crabs, shrimp, mollusks, jellyfish, and aquatic vegetation.

Predators & Threats

As a hatchling going from egg to ocean, these turtles are predated by dogs, raccoons, herons, and sea birds. Adults, because they’re quite small, are threatened by a different types of sharks. The tiger shark is their key predator, though. They are also hunted by orcas.

These turtles are threatened by humans because they disturb the nests. Disturbing the nests allows predators easier access. Noise and artificial light can also confuse and disorient nesting females.

Besides these accidental disturbances, in some countries, humans actively hunt for Kemp Ridley adults and eggs. The meat is eaten, and the eggs can be made into combs and eyeglasses.

5. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Description

Carapace Size: About 34.2 inches (87 centimeters)

Color: The carapace is a dark brown to golden brown coloration. There are streaks in the shell of varying colors like red, orange, and black.

The carapace of the Hawksbill is shaped like a heart. Also, as they mature, their shells become longer and less wide. The backside of the carapace is also serrated, except for the oldest turtles. It’s likely that the edges have worn down over time.

Their name, “Hawksbill”, comes from their mouth that closely resembles a beak of a hawk. It allows them easier access to food hiding in crevices,

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 30-50 years

Hawksbill turtles will reach sexual maturity around 3-4 years of age. The females will only mate once every 2-3 years. Mating will occur in the shallow waters close to the shore.

Females will then go on shore to lay their eggs. They will dig a hole into the sand where they will deposit the eggs. Nesting takes place between July and October. Females can have up to 3 clutches a year, and will lay one clutch every 13-15 days. There will be about 140 eggs in each clutch, and the eggs will incubate for about 60 days. 

Habitat

Habitat: These turtles are usually found along coasts near coral reefs, shoals, continental shelves, and lagoons near islands. They prefer hard substrate and shallow water. They are not found in water any deeper than 18.3 meters (60 feet).

Range: Hawksbill turtles are found in the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. However, they have been found as far north as Massachusetts and Long Island Sound.

Migration: Hawksbill are very migratory species and will travel long distances between nesting beaches and searching for food. In some instances, these turtles have been tracked traveling over 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers).

Diet

Hawksbill turtles are the only sea turtles that feed primarily on sponges. They are picky about which types of sponges they will eat, even eating some species that are toxic to other animals.

These turtles are omnivorous though and will eat jellyfish, mollusks, fish, algae, crustaceans, and aquatic vegetation.

Predators & Threats

Because they are on the smaller side, adult Hawksbills are predated by sharks, crocodiles, octopi, and large fish. The eggs are still in the most danger though, commonly predated by raccoons, rats, and dogs. As hatchlings, they may be eaten by crabs or sea birds.

The main threat posed by humans is harvesting of the meat and the eggs. Fortunately, in most countries, it is illegal to trade products made from Hawksbill turtles. This ban on the trade should see an increase in their populations.

You may also like: Check out These 7 Amazing Types of Sea Turtles and Where You Can Find Them: With Images, Chart, Description, and More!

Invasive Turtles of Florida

1. Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Description

Carapace Size: 4.9 to 11.3 inches (12.5 to 28.9 centimeters)

Color: Red-Eared Sliders have a large red or orange stripe going from behind the eye and halfway down the neck. It is from this stripe that the turtles get their name. Besides that stripe, the rest of the skin is green.

The carapace is really colorful. Babies have dark green carapaces with yellow or green markings. As they age, the green color of the shell transitions to more of a yellow. The lighter patterns on the shell will turn darker. In some spots, you will see yellows, whites, and reds in the shell. Unfortunately, with age, these colors subside, leaving the turtle with a solid green shell.

Life Cycle & Reproduction

Lifespan: 20-40 years

When ready to mate, the male will get the female’s attention by vibrating his front legs against her face. If she accepts him, she will sink to the bottom of the water to allow him to mount her.

The gestation period can last from a few days to a few weeks, after which the female will lay 2-30 eggs. The incubation time will then take 59-112 days.

Habitat

Habitat: Red-Eared Sliders are found in warm bodies of water with little to no current. They are commonly found in swamps and marshes, but may also be seen in lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing rivers and creeks.

Range: Naturally, they are found in the midwestern United States. They can be found as far east as West Virginia and as far west as New Mexico. In the south, they can be found as far as northeastern Mexico. This species is not native to Florida, and should not reside here.

Migration: Although they have become invasive, this is because of human interference and not because these turtles travel long distances. They don’t. In fact, Red-Eared Sliders are not territorial and will share their home area with numerous other turtles.

Diet

Juveniles are mostly carnivorous and will feed on insects, crayfish, tadpoles, fish, snails, slugs, amphibians, and reptiles.

As adults, they’re omnivorous, but those living in Florida still seem to eat 89% animal material.

Predators & Threats

As adults, natural predators include alligators, snakes, crows, opossums, large fish, and wading birds. As juveniles, they are also predated by skunks, raccoons, and foxes.

Although not really a threat, humans have harmed these turtles by releasing them where they shouldn’t. Red-Eared Sliders are a common invasive species across many states because people release pets that they no longer want.

Red-Eared Sliders compete with Yellow-Bellied Sliders, a native species in Florida. To combat this, the sale and possession of Red-Eared Sliders was banned in Florida in July of 2007.

You may also like:

Discover different species found in Florida here:

Wild Monkeys In Florida | Poisonous Frogs In Florida | Anoles In Florida | Birds Of Florida | Vultures In Florida | Woodpeckers In Florida | Hawks In Florida | Florida Freshwater Fish | Florida Frogs | Scorpions In Florida | Geckos In Florida | Florida Spiders | Lizards In Florida | Owls In Florida | Alligators In Texas | Sharks in Florida | Largest Alligator In Florida | Beach Birds Of Florida | Snakes In Florida |