A Few of My Favorite Things

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Tiptoeing Terrapin Turtles

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About a month ago, three juvenile terrapin turtles at the GTM Research Reserve's Environmental Education Center Exhibit Hall took up residency at the newly created turtle exhibit. Their new home includes a few fish swimming around and a mangrove at the top of a mound. A mangrove is a shrub or small tree that grows in coastal brackish water. Now, why am I bringing up a mangrove? Well, Marina, Tina and Gina (those are the names I gave the terrapins so that's what you and I are calling them) have been very shy about hiking onto the mangrove mound. That is, until a few days ago. One took his first climb! That's right, "his." At least I think it was a "he." I'm not really sure. You see, as it turns out, two of the three are male!

Just what do you know about diamondback terrapin turtles or their scientific name, Malaclemys terrapin? I don't want to get too scientific because that's not in my wheelhouse! So, I'll just give you some basics. First of all, they're a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the eastern and southern United States, and also Bermuda. The common name refers to the diamond pattern on top of the shell or carapace. Terrapins are strong swimmers. As you can see in this video, they have extremely webbed hind feet, but not flippers like sea turtles. They also have strong jaws for crushing shells of prey, such as clams and snails.



Terrapins are so much fun to watch and very personable. If you're taking a road trip to Ponte Vedra Beach, you have to stop in to see Tina, Geno and Marvin. Okay, so I changed their names!

Terry-the-Terrapin, GTM's ambassador terrapin

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