Florida Softshell Turtle
Scientific Name: Apalone ferox
Category: reptile
Brief Description
A large, flat, aquatic turtle with a leathery shell and a snorkel-like snout, often seen crossing roads near wetlands in the southeastern US.
Characteristics
Flattened, oval-shaped carapace covered in leathery skin rather than hard scutes; long neck with a tubular, snorkel-like snout; large webbed feet; coloring is typically dark brown or olive-gray with mottling.
Habitat
Freshwater habitats including lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, swamps, and canals. Found throughout Florida and parts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.
When to Find It
Diurnal and active year-round in warm climates; nesting typically occurs from late spring to early summer when they are most likely to be seen on land.
Conservation Status
Least Concern, though they face threats from habitat loss and vehicle strikes.
Ecological Role
Acts as both a predator and scavenger, helping to control populations of fish, insects, and crustaceans while cleaning up decaying organic matter.
Easily Confused With
Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica) and Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera). The Florida Softshell is distinguished by its larger size and the presence of small bumps or tubercles on the front of its shell behind the neck.
Observation Tips
Keep a safe distance as they can be aggressive and have a long reach with their neck; if helping one cross a road, move it in the direction it was heading and avoid picking it up by the tail or shell edges to prevent bites.
Interesting Facts
This is the largest softshell turtle species in North America. They can breathe underwater by absorbing oxygen through the skin of their throat and through their cloaca.