[00:00:10]
SO THIS IS A LITTLE AMERICAN ALLIGATORS, NOT A CROCODILE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THEM JUST FLU
AND IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE SHELL.
NOW, THIS SHELL IS MADE UP OF THE THERAPISTS IN THE PLAS, DRAWN IN.
IT'S MADE A BONE AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TURTLES CAN'T SHED THEIR SHELL AND GROW NEW ONE, OR THEY CAN'T CRAWL OUT AND THEN FIND ANOTHER SHELL SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THIS IS PART OF THEIR SKELETAL STRUCTURE.
AND AS THEY GROW THEIR TURTLE, SHELL GROWS WITH THEM.
NOW THIS SHELL IS FROM A TURTLE THAT DIED OBVIOUSLY A LONG TIME AGO.
AND I FOUND THE SHELL OUT IN THE WOODS.
TURTLE SHELLS ARE REALLY GOOD FOR PROTECTION FROM VARIOUS PREDATORS.
THEY'RE ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THERMOREGULATION.
IN THIS EPISODE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE TURTLE SPECIES THAT LIVE RIGHT HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
SINCE MOST OF OUR TURTLES LIVE IN THE WATER, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF AQUATIC TRAPS TO CHOOSE FROM.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS SET SOME OF THESE, BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU HOW THESE WORK AND HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE.
IT'S A PRO MARK TYPE TRAP, BUT THESE ARE NICE AND COMPACT AND THEY HAVE TWO MOUSE ON THEM.
YOU SET THEM IN A LIKELY LOOKING SPOT, PARTIALLY IN THE WATER, PARTIALLY EXPOSED TO THE ANIMAL CAN GET UP AND BREATHE.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU CATCH UP IN THERE.
THIS IS A MODIFIED FISH TRAP ACTUALLY, AND THIS IS BETTER FOR SLIGHTLY BIGGER TURTLES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE BIG ONE, AND THIS IS A BIG TURTLE TRAP, REALLY? WELL-SUITED FOR BIGGER TURTLES.
AND YOU NOTICE THERE'S A SORT OF A FUNNEL ON ONE END, AND THEN THERE'S A WAY THAT YOU CAN OPEN IT UP AND GET THE TURTLE OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT THE ONE THING WE'RE MISSING IS BAIT AND FOR BAIT SARDINES ARE ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
YOU KNOW, THEY RAN OUT OF, UH, REGULAR SARDINES.
AND SO WE ENDED UP HAVING TO GET SOME WITH GREEN CHILIES.
SO I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE IS WHETHER OR NOT REGULAR SARDINES ARE GREEN CHILIES WORK BEST.
ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO SET SOME OF THESE TRAPS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN CATCH.
THIS, WELL, THAT WAS THE BANK IS PRETTY STEEP HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE DUCKWEED HERE.
THIS IS REALLY, REALLY THICK, BUT TURTLES LOVE THIS STUFF.
AND OF COURSE IT'S GOOD TO HIDE IN AS WELL.
LITTLE SALAMANDER LARVA THERE.
ANYWAY, LET'S SEE WHAT'S IN THIS TRAP.
THERE'S A CRAYFISH RIGHT HERE.
SO WE KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THESE TURTLES ARE EATING IS CRAYFISH AND TURTLE FULL OF CRAYFISH.
SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THAT ONE.
IT LOOKS LIKE ACTUALLY THIS IS A FEMALE I CAN TELL BY SIZE.
I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN PULL THIS UP ON LAND KIND OF HEAVY.
SO WE HAVE TWO SLIDER TURTLES HERE.
AND THE WAY I KNOW THAT IS LOOK HOW LONG THE CALLS ARE.
SO MALES HAVE REALLY LONG NAILS.
THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY, AND ALSO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.
THEY DON'T GET AS BIG AS FEMALES.
SO LET'S LOOK AT A FEMALE AND LOOK HOW MUCH BIGGER THAT TURTLE IS.
SHORT NAILS AND JUST A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER ANIMAL.
NOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON TURTLES THAT WE HAVE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
THEY DO HAVE A YELLOW BELLY AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY GOT THEIR NAME.
THEY TYPICALLY HAVE TWO SPOTS RIGHT HERE AS WELL.
UH, NOT ALWAYS, BUT USUALLY, AND IF YOU SEE A TURTLE SITTING ON A LOG OR SLIDING DOWN THE BANK IN THE LOW COUNTRY, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE TO TWO YELLOW BELLY SLIDER.
[00:05:08]
SO HE'S NOT MOVING AROUND IN THIS TROUT.THERE ARE THREE, NO, JUST TWO ALLIGATORS IN THIS TRAP, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TOO, MAN.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO PULL THIS UP ON THE BANK AND GET A BETTER LUCK.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T NORMALLY LOOK FORWARD TO.
THERE ARE TWO SNAPPING TURTLES AND TWO ALLIGATORS IN THIS TRAP, WHICH IS KIND OF A LOT OF, UH, SNAP PER TRAP, I GUESS.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET SOME OF THIS STUFF OUT.
SO THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS DEAL WITH THE ALLIGATORS.
WE DIDN'T INTEND TO CATCH THOSE, BUT WHEN YOU USE A TRAP LIKE THIS, SOMETIMES YOU GET ALLIGATORS AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A TRAP WITH GREEN CHILIES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SIGNIFICANT, LOTS OF, LOTS OF FIGHTS STARTING IN THE TRAP.
SO LET'S DO THESE MAYBE ONE AT A TIME.
THERE'S ONE, YOU REALIZE THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF SNAPPING GOING ON.
SO YOU CAN HEAR THE VOCALIZATIONS.
SO I'M GONNA LET THIS LITTLE LITTLE GUY GO.
THAT FIRST ONE WAS KIND OF A WARMUP GATOR.
I THINK I'M GONNA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS NEXT ONE OUT.
THERE'S NO REAL, REAL EASY WAY TO DO THIS, BUT I THINK WHAT I CAN DO, THERE WE GO.
SO HERE IS A LITTLE BIGGER, BUT STILL A YOUNGSTER.
THIS ONE'S VOCALIZING QUITE A BIT, AND THIS IS KIND OF A RESIDUAL CALL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE BABIES, THEY DO A LOT OF VOCALIZATIONS AND WE THINK ALLIGATORS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE WITH THESE VOCALIZATIONS.
BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALLIGATORS.
SO HE'S SAFELY BACK IN THE WATER.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO JUST TWO ANIMALS IN THE TRAP, WHICH IS STILL KIND OF IMPRESSIVE.
ALRIGHT, WORK THESE GUYS DOWN TO THE OTHER END AND GOLLY, GET THAT SNAPPER, COMMON SNAPPER.
NOW THEY HAVE RIDICULOUSLY SHARP CLAWS AND YOU KNOW, THEY JUST TRY AND PROTECT THEMSELVES.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT SNAPPERS, THEY SMELL LIKE, LIKE A ROTTEN PUMPKIN.
THEY HAVE A REALLY PUNGENT ODOR AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY THAT IS, BUT BOY, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY GET THE NAME, SNAPPING TURTLE, BIG HOOKED BEAK.
IF THEY WANT TO, OF COURSE, CATCHING SMALL ANIMALS HAD CRAYFISH AND THINGS.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THESE.
I USED TO WORK UP A LOT OF SNAPPING TURTLES FOR SOME OF THE RESEARCH WE DID.
AND BOY, THEY CAN GET YOU A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT ANYWAY, COMMON SNAPPER, NOT AN ALLIGATOR SNAPPER.
IN FACT, LET'S LOOK AT THIS OTHER ONE.
YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KIND OF GRAB EVERYTHING WITH THEIR CLAWS.
THIS IS BY NO MEANS A BIG SNAPPER.
I MEAN A BIG SNAPPING TURTLE CAN WEIGH 25, 30 POUNDS AND THE BIGGEST CAN WEIGH 50 POUNDS AND PEOPLE WANT TO CALL THEM.
AND I KNOW THE TAIL LOOKS LIKE AN ALLIGATOR AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ALLIGATOR SNAPPERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAVE COMMON SNAPPERS AND THEY'RE IMPRESSIVE ENOUGH.
I MEAN, THIS HAS REALLY THICK IN HERE.
I'M WORKING MY WAY OVER TO THIS LITTLE DITCH AND IT'S CERTAINLY LOW AND WET HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN TOO MUCH LIZARD'S TAIL IN ONE PLACE.
THIS IS A REALLY SMALL SPECIES.
AND LOOK AT THIS NEAT LITTLE TURTLE.
THIS IS AN EASTERN MUD TURTLE AND THIS IS ONE CALLED KIND OF STERNAN SUBURBAN.
AND IT'S NEAT BECAUSE IT HAS A LITTLE HINGES.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THERE'S A HINGE HERE AND A HINGE HERE AND THIS TURTLE CAN CLOSE UP ALMOST LIKE A BOX TURTLE.
AND THAT PROTECTS THEM WHEN THEY'RE ON LAND, MOSTLY FROM PREDATORS.
THIS IS BIG AS THIS SPECIES GETS.
IN FACT, THEY'RE ONE OF THE SMALLER TURTLES IN THE WORLD AND THEY LIVE IN HABITATS JUST LIKE THIS DITCHES AND ALL KINDS OF SMALL WETLANDS LIKE THIS.
NOW GLANCE AT THIS, I CAN TELL IT'S A LITTLE FEMALE AND I'M GOING BY HOW SMALL THE TAIL IS.
MALES HAVE A MUCH BIGGER TAIL AND THIS IS A SPECIES THAT LAYS JUST
[00:10:01]
A COUPLE EGGS AT A TIME.AND THEY HATCH INTO LITTLE MINI MUD TURTLES THAT HAVE BRIGHT RED BELLIES.
THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT THIS BIG, ABOUT AS BIG AS A DIME.
AND OF COURSE IT MAY TAKE THEM MANY YEARS TO REACH ADULT SIZE LIKE THIS.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE WEAPON.
WATER'S GOT LOTS OF TANNIN IN IT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS IN HERE.
WE HAVE A MUD TURTLE AND THEN WE HAVE A CHICKEN TURTLE.
GET THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
SO HERE'S THE LITTLE MUD TURTLE LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE MALE, JUST SORT OF SCOOPED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THERE AND HAS A BIG TAIL.
THIS ONE'S GOT SOME SCARS ON HIM.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S BEEN THROUGH THE WARS.
AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I, I GET MORE EXCITED ABOUT SOME SPECIES OF TURTLES THAN OTHERS.
AND THIS IS A CHICKEN TURTLE AND CHICKEN TURTLES.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE VERY LONG NECKS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO STICK HIS NECK OUT.
MAYBE WE'LL SEE, BUT REALLY PRETTY LITTLE TURTLE.
THIS ONE'S PARTICULARLY LIGHT AND THEY GET A LITTLE BIGGER THAN THIS FEMALES GET ABOUT THIS BIG AND MALES MUCH SMALLER.
NOW THEY GET THE NAME CHICKEN TURTLE.
SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE LONG NECKS.
BUT PROBABLY THE REAL REASON IS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ATE THESE AT ONE POINT DURING THE DEPRESSION, THIS WAS A TURTLE THAT WAS PRETTY EASY TO CATCH.
AND APPARENTLY IT TASTED PRETTY GOOD.
MAYBE TASTES A LITTLE BIT LIKE CHICKEN ANYWAY.
REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING TURTLE FOR A BUNCH OF REASONS.
ALL RIGHT? SO THIS ONE EVERYTHING'S OUT OF HERE, I'M GOING TO PULL THIS TRAP OUT, BUT YOU NOTICE WE'RE SETTING THESE TRAPS.
SO THAT PART OF THEM IS UP OUT OF THE WATER TURTLES BREATHE AIR.
AND IF YOU WERE TO PUT THE TRAP COMPLETELY UNDER WATER, A TURTLE MIGHT DROWN.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, I LOVE TO SET TRAPS.
I LOVE TO CATCH THINGS IN TRAPS, BUT IT REQUIRES A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T JUST SET A TRAP AND FORGET ABOUT IT.
THESE HAVE TO BE CHECKED EVERY DAY AND SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, BECAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS HURT ANY OF THE ANIMALS THAT YOU MIGHT CAPTURE IN YOUR TRAP.
YOU KNOW, EVEN A GARDEN POND LIKE THIS CAN HAVE A LOT OF TURTLES IN IT.
SO I SET SOME TRAPS IN HERE TO SEE WHAT SWIMMING AROUND.
LOOKS LIKE SOME MORE SLIDER TERMINALS, MAN, LOOK AT THIS PRETTY LITTLE TURTLE, LITTLE TINY GUY.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF COOL ABOUT TURTLES IS YOU CAN AGE THEM BY LOOKING AT ANNUALLY OR GROWTH RINGS.
THIS LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A THREE-YEAR-OLD PROBABLY THAT'S A GUESS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD GUESS.
NOW IT TAKES THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 10 YEARS TO REACH ADULT SIZE OR MAYBE EVEN LONGER.
WELL THAT'S ALL THE TRAPS WE HAVE, BUT UH, I'M NOT SURE HOW CONCLUSIVE THIS IS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE SARDINES WITH GREEN CHILIES IN THEM DID JUST AS WELL AS THE OTHERS.
IF YOU LOOK RIGHT OVER MY SHOULDER, THERE'S A TURTLE.
THAT'S WALKING DOWN THIS DITCH.
NOW ONE OF OUR FRIENDS TOLD US THAT THERE WAS A TURTLE CROSSING THE ROAD RIGHT HERE.
SO OF COURSE WE CAME RUNNING OVER TO CHECK IT OUT AND IT APPEARS TO BE A SNAPPING TURTLE, BUT I THOUGHT I'D PICK IT UP AND HAVE A LOOK.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A SNAPPING TURTLE AND IT'S A COMMON SNAPPER IN MAN.
SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE, BUT THIS ONE IS MISSING A WHOLE FRONT FOOT.
I'M SURE THIS MUST HAVE HAPPENED WHEN THE TURTLE WAS VERY YOUNG, BUT IT'S BEEN MISSING THAT FOOT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
NOW I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THIS ANIMAL GOT THIS INJURY.
I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN FROM ANOTHER SNAPPING TURTLE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ALLIGATOR.
MAYBE EVEN A RACCOON WHEN IT WAS QUITE A BIT SMALLER.
A COUPLE OF THINGS I NOTICED, LOOK AT THE LEECHES ON THIS TURTLE.
SO TURTLES OFTEN HAVE LEECHES.
YOU CAN SEE SOME ON THE BACK OF THE SHELL HERE.
OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT STUCK IN BLOOD HERE, BUT THEY ARE HOLDING ON, BUT ON THE SKIN HERE, CERTAINLY LEECHES CAN PULL SOME BLOOD FROM A TURTLE LIKE THIS.
NOW, A COUPLE OF NEAT THINGS ABOUT SNAPPERS THERE'S FIRST OF ALL, LOOK AT HOW REDUCED THE PLASTER ON THE LOWER PART OF THE SHELLER IS.
SO IN THE BACK THEY HAVE A NORMAL
AND I GUESS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR THAT IS THEY HAVE A LOT OF DEFENSES BESIDES THAT SHELL STRONG CLAUSE.
AND OF COURSE I'M STANDING WAY AWAY FROM THAT MOUTH BECAUSE THE BITE FROM THESE, HE SAID, I KNOW THIS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO SAY THE LEAST, THIS
[00:15:01]
IS AN ADULT COMMON SNAPPER, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN GET QUITE A BIT BIGGER THAN THIS.SO HE FOUND THIS ANIMAL CROSSING OVER THE LAND, BUT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN AQUATIC TURTLE.
SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS IT CROSSED THE ROAD RIGHT THERE.
AND IT'S JUST GOING TO FOLLOW THIS DITCH ALL THE WAY DOWN.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A POND DOWN ON THE FAR END OF THIS DITCH, SO I'M SURE THAT'S WHERE IT'S HEADED.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS, ALTHOUGH IT'S GOT THIS OLD INJURY, IT SEEMS TO BE DOING JUST FINE, GOOD BODY WEIGHT.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS REALLY, REALLY HEALTHY.
SO IT MAY BE LIMPING A LITTLE BIT ON THAT FOOT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE JUST FINE.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT IT BACK OUT ON THE DITCH AND LET IT GO WHERE IT WANTS TO BY THE TIME OUR TURTLES REACH ADULT SIZE, THEY'RE PRETTY WELL PROTECTED FROM NATURAL PREDATORS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T FACE HAZARDS, HAZARDS FROM HUMANS, BUT IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ANDREW GROSS.
ANDREW IS THE STATE HERPETOLOGISTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND HE'S LOOKING AT SOME WAYS TO PROTECT OUR TURTLES.
ANDREW, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
HAPPY TO BE HERE, TONY, AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE NATIVE TURTLE SPECIES WE HAVE HERE, AND WE'RE AT A PRETTY GOOD PLACE FOR TURTLES.
WE'VE GOT WETLANDS ON BOTH SIDES OF US HERE AND I'M JUST EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
HERE'S SOME PIG FROGS AND, UH, GREEN FROGS AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
SO WHAT, SO YOU BROUGHT SOME TURTLES FOR US TO LOOK AT.
YEAH, WE HAVE A FEW TURTLES HERE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME THAT MAY BE WELL-KNOWN TO SOME PEOPLE AND MAYBE NOT SO MUCH FOR OTHERS.
LET'S START WITH, UH, THIS DIAMOND BACK TERRAPIN BOY, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL TURTLES.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY EVEN EXIST IN THE STATE.
UM, THEY ARE THE ONLY, UH, MINDED TURTLE THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S A STRICTLY, ESTUARINE JUST MEANS IF THEY'RE SPAR TYNA AND PLUFF MUD, YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND THEM THERE, UM, SLASH JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, AND THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST GORGEOUS, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, AS THEY REACH ADULT SIZE, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THIS FOR FEMALES, A LITTLE SMALLER FOR MALES THAT DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MANY NATURAL PREDATORS, OCCASIONAL RACCOONS, UM, MIGHT, MIGHT IMPACT THE ADULTS, BUT, UM, REALLY THEIR BIGGEST THREAT IS DROWNING AND CRAB TRAPS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN FEMALES GO TO NEST CROSSING ROADS AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, BEING HIT BY CARS THERE.
SO THIS SPECIES IS, IS, UH, PRETTY RESILIENT IN THE MARSH ECOSYSTEM MEETING, UH, CRABS AND SNAILS.
SO A LOT, A LOT OF FOOD FOR THEM TO EAT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE IMPACTED BY, BUT THIS IS ONE WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT BECAUSE YOU CAN PUT TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES ON YOUR CRAP.
THERE ARE, UM, DIFFERENT STUDIES BEING DONE AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE EXCLUDERS ON, SO YOU CAN STILL CATCH CRABS, BUT KEEP SOME OF THESE TURTLES OUT AND, UM, HELP PROTECT THEM.
I, I THINK IT'S ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TURTLES IN THE WORLD I WOULD AGREE.
AND THEY'RE WONDERFUL AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT ELSE? YEAH.
SO NEXT WE HAVE A SPOTTED TURTLE.
UM, VERY SECRETIVE TURTLE, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL SPOT PATTERN.
UH, THIS ONE ALSO DEALS WITH THREATS FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, CROSSING ROADS, ALL OF THESE TURTLES WHEN FEMALES MOVE TO LAY EGGS, UM, ON LAND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'RE IMPACTED BY VEHICLES.
UH, THESE GUYS ALSO ARE, UH, HEAVILY SOUGHT AFTER FOR THE PET TRADE, BOTH DOMESTICALLY HERE IN THE U S BUT ALSO OVERSEAS.
AND PART OF IT IS THEY'RE THEY STAY SMALL, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
I MEAN, THIS IS AN ADULT SIZE TURTLE.
AND, UM, THEY GET MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THIS, BUT THEY CAN VARY IN THEIR SPOT PATTERN.
YOU CAN SEE THE, YOU KNOW, HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS.
THEY HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL ORANGE UNDERNEATH.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, VERY SECRETIVE LIVING IN SOME OF OUR WETLAND SYSTEMS HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY GET TO SEE THEM UNLESS THEY FIND THEM CROSSING ROADS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THESE GUYS IS THAT SPOTTED PATTERN THAT LOOKS SO BOLD IN OUR HANDS.
IF YOU PUT IT IN DUCKWEED AND DAPPLED SUNLIGHT, IT'S VERY CRYPTIC WITH A LOT OF OUR NATIVE SPECIES.
IT'S IT SEEMS, YOU KNOW, YOU PICK THEM UP, YOU SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL ORANGES AND MAYBE EVEN YELLOW AND REDS.
AND, AND, BUT AGAIN, YOU PUT IT DOWN AND IT'S COMPLETELY CAMOUFLAGED AND THE HABITAT THAT IT LIVES IN.
SO, SO WHAT CAN WE DO? SO YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE PASSED SOME LAWS TO PROTECT THE SPECIES WE HAVE.
SO FOR ALL OF OUR NATIVE TURTLES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, UM, EXCLUDING THE SEA TURTLES, WE HAVE 16 NATIVE SPECIES.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UM, CREATED A LIMITED, JUST THE NUMBER THAT ANY ONE PERSON CAN HAVE.
SO ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE REALIZED WITH THE NEW LAWS IS THAT FOR PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE WILDLIFE TURTLES, UH, ANY OF THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH THEM.
AND SO ALLOWING PEOPLE TO STILL KEEP SOME, YOU KNOW, HAVING FIVE TURTLES IS ONE THING HAVING 200 MAYBE.
I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PET TURTLE, BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO.
AND THE MAIN THING IS PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO COLLECT ALL THESE TURTLES AND THEN SELL THEM OR SHIP THEM TO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
AND FOR TURTLES TO PERSIST IN THE WILD, YOU KNOW, THEIR STRATEGY IS TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL ADULT POPULATION
[00:20:01]
THAT LIVES A LONG TIME AND SURVIVES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.SO WHEN YOU REMOVING, YOU KNOW, EVEN 50, UM, ADULT TURTLES FROM A POPULATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL, EXTRA PATIENTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT, YEAH.
LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE, BUT THIS ONE.
SO THE LAST ONE WE HAVE HERE IS ANOTHER VERY POPULAR ONE.
AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED, WE ALL HAVE A STORY ABOUT A BOX TURTLE, RIGHT? UM, EVERYBODY'S SEEN ONE OF THESE, WHETHER YOU'RE A HUNTER OR YOU HAVE LAND SOMEWHERE OR EVEN BEEN ON PUBLIC LAND, EVERYONE'S SEEN A BOX TURTLE.
AND THIS IS JUST A GORGEOUS EXAMPLE OF THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO HOLD THIS ONE, I'LL JUST PULL OUT THIS.
SO THIS IS A SMALLER FEMALE AND INSTILL A LITTLE SMALL THAT THEY WILL GET PROBABLY THE AVERAGE SIZE OF SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL COLORATION AND THE MORE TERRESTRIAL TURTLE.
UM, AND AGAIN, PEOPLE SEE THEM CROSSING ROADS DURING THE SUMMER.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO ANDREW IS PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY TO SEE A TURTLE CROSSING THE ROAD.
AND I LOVE FOR PEOPLE TO HELP THEM ACROSS THE ROAD TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING, BUT I DON'T LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE SCOOP THEM UP AND THEN PUT THEM IN A CAR AND THEN TAKE THEM MILES AWAY BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME BAD EFFECTS ON THEM.
I THINK WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK OF IT AS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OR TOWN THAT YOU LIVE IN, YOU KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE RESTAURANTS AND THE GAS STATION OR WHEREVER YOU NEED TO GO, THAT THAT IS AN ALLIGATOR BELLOWING RIGHT BEHIND US.
THAT IS, WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT.
SO THERE ARE ALLIGATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF US.
AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A MALE THAT'S BELLOWING LETTING THE FEMALES AND OTHER MALES KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
SO THE ALLIGATOR QUIT BELLOWING.
SO WE'RE BACK TO TURTLES, I GUESS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE ONE ON THE ROAD, HELP IT ACROSS THE ROAD, IF IT'S SAFE TO DO SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IN THE WAY THAT IT'S MOVING, UM, BUT IF YOU PICK THEM UP AND TAKE THEM TO A NEW PLACE, THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR THEM TO FIND.
AND THAT, I ALWAYS LIKED TO SAY THAT TURTLE HAS PLANS.
IT'S HEADED ACROSS THE ROAD IN THAT DIRECTION.
THERE'S FOOD THERE THERE'S, UH, MAYBE A MATE THERE.
SO, SO THEY'RE GOING THERE FOR A REASON.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE, THINK THEY'RE HELPING, BUT REALLY YOUR BEST BET IS HELPING ACROSS THE ROAD IN THE DIRECTION IT'S GOING.
AND FOR THINGS LIKE BOX TURTLES, YOU KNOW, CARS ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES THEM A WHILE TO GET ACROSS THE ROADWAY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BIGGER, BIGGER ROADS WE HAVE MORE TRAFFIC.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM FOR THEIR POPULATIONS.
SO ANDREW, I APPRECIATE YOU TALKING TURTLES WITNESS.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING TO PROTECT OUR NATIVE TURTLE SPEED.
WELL, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, PRETTY MUCH ANY FRESHWATER BODY OF WATER, ANY PONDER LAKE AROUND HERE IS GOING TO HAVE ITS SHARE OF TURTLES.
I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF SPECIES IN HERE THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
AND THIS IS A LITTLE GUY, A LITTLE BABY YELLOW BELLY SLIDER.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU FORGET ABOUT TURTLES IS HOW SMALL THEY ARE WHEN THEY FIRST HATCH OUT.
SO THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT'S, THIS IS THIS YEAR YEAR'S TURTLE.
NOW IT MAY TAKE 10 YEARS TO REACH ADULT SIZE, BUT MEN, WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE LIKE THIS, THEY ARE REALLY VULNERABLE.
AND THIS GREEN AND YELLOW COLORATION PROBABLY HELPS THEM TO BLEND IN REALLY WELL WITH AQUATIC VEGETATION AND THE BOTTOM OF THE POND.
AND IT PROBABLY EVEN DAPPLED SUNLIGHT.
SO WHEN THEY'RE THIS SIZE, THEY PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO HIDE FOR LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS.
AND THAT WAY EVENTUALLY THEY'RE BIG ENOUGH WHERE THEY DON'T GET EATEN BY A VARIETY OF PREDATORS, WAITING BIRDS, UH, ALLIGATORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
NOT A YELLOW BELLIED SLIDER, A RED EARED SLIDER.
NOW RENDERED SLIDERS OF COURSE, HAVE THAT BIG BLOCK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT SUBSPECIES OF THE YELLOW BELLY SLIDER.
THAT'S STRIKING ME SCRIPT A SCRIPT.
THIS IS TREY KIMMY'S SCRIPT TO ELEGANT.
THIS LOOKS LIKE A BIG FEMALE MALES.
NOW LET ME TELL YOU, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS TURTLE.
THIS IS NOT NATIVE TO THE LOW COUNTRY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT'S NATIVE TO JUST THE VERY EDGE OF THE SOUTHEAST AND THEN IN THE MIDWEST.
BUT THIS TURTLE IS ESTABLISHED ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THERE ARE RENDERED SLIDERS EVERYWHERE, AND THAT'S A BIT OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE READIER, SLIDER'S NOT REALLY A HUGE PROBLEM HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, BUT THEY'RE A BIG PROBLEM IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
AND THE CONCERN OF COURSE IS THAT THEY MIGHT OUT-COMPETE THE NATIVE SPECIES OF TURTLES.
NOW VERY MUCH LIKE A, A YELLOW BELLIED SLIDER, EXCEPT THAT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH OF A YELLOW BELLY.
DOES IT A LOT OF SORT OF MARKINGS ON THE BELLY HERE.
[00:25:01]
A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHAPE THAN A YELLOW BELLY SLIDER.AND THEN OF COURSE THE RADIO NAME COMES FROM THAT BIG RED BLOTCH ON THE SIDE HEAD.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU HOW THIS GOT STARTED.
SO WHEN I WAS A KID, EVERYBODY HAD A BABY TURTLE AS A PET AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE YOU BOUGHT THEM.
AND THEY WERE ABOUT THIS BIG AROUND SOMETIMES THEY WERE YELLOW BELLY SLIDERS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES THEY WERE RADIATED SLIDERS.
NOW THIS HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND SO PEOPLE WOULD KEEP A TURTLE FOR AWHILE.
WE'RE IN A TURTLE BOWL, THEY'D GET TIRED OF IT.
AND WHAT WOULD THEY DO? THEY'D GO OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD POND AND LET IT GO.
AND THAT'S HOW THESE GUYS GOT ESTABLISHED EVERYWHERE.
SO THE BABY TURTLE TRADE WAS HUGE.
I MEAN, THERE WERE JUST MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF BABY TURTLES SOLD.
AND AS I SAID, PEOPLE WOULD JUST LET THEM GO.
AND THAT CAUSED A BIT OF A PROBLEM IN SOME PLACES.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THESE TURTLES ARE BEING FED.
THEY'RE KIND OF HANGING AROUND THE DOCK AND THAT MADE IT A LOT EASIER FOR US TO DIP NET THE TURTLES.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SPECIES THAT LIVES IN HERE THAT I REALLY WANT TO SHOW YOU.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN AFTER.
WHOA, THESE ARE MUCH MORE ATHLETIC THAN OTHER TURTLES.
SO THIS IS A SOFT SHELL TURTLE.
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS A FLORIDA SOFT SHELL TURTLE.
AND I THINK IT'S A MALE GOING BY SIZE AND THE SIZE OF THE TAIL.
NOW, THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT SOFT SHELL TURTLES IS LOOK AT THE NOSE.
THEY'VE GOT A VERY POINTED NOSE AND THE LITTLE BREATHING TUBES ON THE END.
THIS ALLOWS THEM TO PUT THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF THEIR HEAD UP OUT OF THE WATER TO GET A BREATH.
THEY ALSO JUST HAVE EYES UP ON TOP OF THE HEAD SO THEY CAN, WE JUST, AGAIN, THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF THEIR BODY EXPOSED, THEY ALSO ARE VERY STREAMLINED AND THE BIGGEST THING, AND THIS IS WHERE THEY GET THEIR NAME, VERY FLEXIBLE SHELL, A LOT OF CARTILAGE IN IT.
AND SO VERY DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF OUR TURTLES.
THEY HAVE VERY WEBBED FEET AND THEY'RE VERY ATHLETIC, VERY, VERY GOOD SWIMMERS.
THEY FEED ENTIRELY ON OTHER ANIMALS.
UH, THEY'LL EAT THINGS LIKE CRAYFISH AND AQUATIC, INSECTS, AND EVEN FISH.
AND THEY HAVE A REALLY LONG NECK.
THE CLAWS ARE STARTING TO GET ME.
SO I'M BEING A LITTLE CAREFUL.
ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO HAVING A LONG NECK ONE IS YOU CAN CATCH FISH, ALLOWS YOU TO DART OUT AND CATCH FISH, BUT ALSO THEY CAN SIT ON THE BOTTOM, SOMETIMES BURIED IN THE SAND OR THE MUD.
AND THAT REACHED THAT LONG NECK UP TO THE SURFACE AND JUST THE TIP OF THEIR NOSE, GET A BREATH, PULL IT BACK DOWN, BUT WOW, WHAT A TURTLE AND ONE THAT YOU DON'T SEE AS OFTEN BECAUSE THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME, A BURDEN, THE SAND OR UNDER VEGETATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS A SPECIES THAT YOU CAN TELL BY LOOKING AT IT.
IT LIVES ITS ENTIRE LIFE IN THE WATER.
I MEAN, IN FACT THEY'RE PRETTY AWKWARD ON LAND AND THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE THEM ON LAND IS IF YOU SEE A FEMALE COME UP TO LAY EGGS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A MALE I CAN TELL BY SIZE FEMALES GET THIS BIG.
I MEAN, THEY'RE SPECTACULAR ANIMALS.
AND THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE THOSE, AS I SAID IS OCCASIONALLY WE'LL CATCH ONE, CROSSING A ROAD, MAN, WHAT A NEAT TURTLE.
BUT I THINK IT'S TIME TO GET THIS ONE BACK IN THE WATER.
YOU KNOW, TURTLES ARE SO COMMON THAT I THINK WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO REALLY KIND OF TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED.
BUT REMEMBER THE TURTLE THAT YOU SEE CROSSING A ROAD OR IN THE POND NEAR YOUR HOUSE MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THANKS FOR JOINING US ON COASTAL KINGDOM.