PENINSULA COOTER

Chysemus floridana peninsularis

IDENTIFICATION:  Peninsula cooters are a fairly large water turtle, known to have a shell length of 15 inches.  They have dark shells and bodies with yellow stripes.  The bottom of their shells (plastron) is yellow with no markings.  There are two distinct yellow stripes on their heads that look like hairpins or upside down “Y”s.

RANGE AND HABITAT:  Peninsula cooters can be found throughout the peninsular part of Florida.  They are a fresh water turtle that prefers lakes and slow-moving streams.  They are often seen crossing roads while they migrate from one body of water to another.  They spend much of their time basking on logs during the day, and hiding in the mud at night.

REPRODUCTION:  Male cooters, which have longer from claws, court females by swimming backwards in front of the females and stroking their heads with his claws.  Nesting occurs year-round.  The females dig their nests in the sand near the water.  Occasionally, they will dig “false nests” with only 2-3 eggs.  The main nest often contains 12-29 eggs.  They will hatch in at least 2 ½ months, but have been known to take up to 5 months if laid during the winter.

DIET:  Adult cooters primarily eat aquatic plants.  The young cooters eat a mix of both plants and aquatic insects.  They are almost always found in water with abundant vegetation.

FUTURE:  Peninsula cooters are one of Florida’s most common fresh water turtle.  However, with the increasing population, and decreasing wetlands, all species of aquatic turtles are declining.