River Cooter

Here's someone that, according to my Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of New Jersey, doesn't exist here: a River Cooter. For years I didn't realize these turtles were in NJ, though iNaturalist would frequently offer this as an ID for some of my pictures. Apparently this generally southern species has been in my state for decades (though perhaps in small numbers and a few localities). Their existence does complicate the turtle identification process here, especially between the cooters and the sliders.

It's not entirely clear how they got here, though some form of human introduction seems most likely. Their original range was considered to be as far north as Maryland though, so a gradual natural range expansion could also be plausible. FWIW, iNaturalist does not list them as an introduced species.

I have certainly encountered their relative, the Northern Red-bellied Cooter, which is listed in my field guide as NJ's largest "basking turtle" (turtles that frequently are seen basking in the sun). Some sources suggest the Northern Red-bellied Cooter is longer but the River Cooter is heavier; perhaps the River Cooter could also be considered our largest basking turtle?


October 20, 2021 at Duke Island Park
Photo 168430696, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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