Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle

Powerpoint by Desire PhillipsBlock 5

November 28, 2012

IntroductionIntroduction

•The Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle was declared as an endangered species in 1987 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

•The turtle was not designated as Alabama’s official state reptile until 1990.

FactsFacts

•Female red-bellied turtles can reach up to 14 inches in length.

•The males can reach up to only 12 inches in length.

FactsFacts

•The decline of the Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle is due to very many of them being ran over or taken to be sold.

•Many were ran over on the causeway because the females were looking for places to lay their eggs. Babies were ran over because they would go looking for water after they hatched.

Red-Bellied Turtle Red-Bellied Turtle Hatchling Hatchling (newborn baby)(newborn baby)

FactsFacts

• The Red-Bellied Turtles are primarily The Red-Bellied Turtles are primarily herbivorous. They eat mostly aquatic herbivorous. They eat mostly aquatic plants.plants.

• Their various habitats are deep Their various habitats are deep ponds, lakes, and rivers.ponds, lakes, and rivers.

• They can also be found in freshwater They can also be found in freshwater streams, bays, or bayous in or streams, bays, or bayous in or adjacent to Mobile Bay.adjacent to Mobile Bay.

• The males have elongated fore The males have elongated fore claws.claws.

FactsFacts

•It’s scientific name is Pseudemys alabamensis.

•Their nicknames are “cooter” and “slider”.

ClassificationClassification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Subphylum Vertebrata

Class Reptilia

Order Testudines

Family Emydidae

Genus Pseudemys

Species Pseudemys alabamensis baur

Historic Range VS. Present Historic Range VS. Present RangeRange

• The turtles are only found in The turtles are only found in four four countiescounties along the Mid-Atlantic along the Mid-Atlantic coast: Mobile & Baldwin in AL; coast: Mobile & Baldwin in AL; Harrison & Jackson in MS.Harrison & Jackson in MS.

• The total population of the red-The total population of the red-bellies is bellies is unknown unknown because data because data on the population status and trend on the population status and trend is is inconclusive. inconclusive.

Efforts to Preserve ThemEfforts to Preserve Them

• Save The Alabama Red-Bellied Save The Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle Alliance Turtle Alliance is an organization is an organization that was started by people who wrote that was started by people who wrote letters and proposed plans that would letters and proposed plans that would keep the red-bellies alive. keep the red-bellies alive.

Their letters and plans helped a great Their letters and plans helped a great deal.deal.

Efforts to Preserve ThemEfforts to Preserve Them

•The Alabama Department of Transportation paid for and built a 3.4 mile long, low fence along the causeway to keep the turtles from being ran over.

Role in it’s Natural EcosystemRole in it’s Natural Ecosystem

• In the last decade (2000 and In the last decade (2000 and up), up), over 1000over 1000 turtles were turtles were murderedmurdered. Many of them were . Many of them were reproductive females. reproductive females. Without them, the population Without them, the population would would declinedecline even further. even further.

Why save this animal?Why save this animal?

•So this won’t keep happening!

Why Why SaveSave this Animal? this Animal?

• This animal should be saved because This animal should be saved because many commercial harvesters are trying many commercial harvesters are trying to take Alabama’s turtles andto take Alabama’s turtles and sell them sell them the Asian markets that request turtle the Asian markets that request turtle meat.meat.

Asia wants American turtle meat because Asia wants American turtle meat because over-harvesting in their continent has over-harvesting in their continent has left only left only 25%25% of their turtle population. of their turtle population.

• We do We do NOTNOT need that happening to Alabama need that happening to Alabama (and the United State’s and Mississippi’s)(and the United State’s and Mississippi’s) ONLY ONLY red-bellied turtles.red-bellied turtles.

Why Save This Animal?Why Save This Animal?

•Without this animal, tourism would probably decline because many people like to see the turtles when visiting Alabama. That’s especially true for animal enthusiasts.

•Here is a photo taken by a tourist that visited the turtles.

Bonus PhotosBonus Photos

•These are pictures of my pet turtles Tina Turtle & Bob.

BibliographyBibliography• Behler, John L. National Audubon Society First Field Guide. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.

• Massek, James. "Alabama Red-bellied Turtle." Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Turtles/arbt.cfm>.• McDiarmid, Roy. "Pseudemys Alabamensis Baur, 1893." Http://www.itis.gov/. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=173804>.• Rainer, David. "Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle Gets Added Protection."OutdoorAlabama.com. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, n.d. Web. <http://www.outdooralabama.com/oaonline/RBturtle08.cfm>.• Raines, Ben. "Asian Market's Appetite for Turtle Meat Threatens Alabama's Population."Mobile Press-Register 26 Feb. 2012: 1. 26 Feb. 2012. Web. <http://blog.al.com/live/2012/02/asian_appetite_threatens_alaba.html>.• "Save The Alabama Red-bellied Turtle." "Save The Alabama Red-bellied Turtle." Savetheredbelly.orgSavetheredbelly.org . Save The Red-Bellied Turtle Alliance, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.savetheredbelly.org/>.. Save The Red-Bellied Turtle Alliance, 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.savetheredbelly.org/>.• Bagley, Fred M. Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle Recovery Plan. By James Dobie. Altlanta: US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1990. 1-3. Print.Bagley, Fred M. Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle Recovery Plan. By James Dobie. Altlanta: US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1990. 1-3. Print.