Cooter (freshwater turtle)

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Cooter (freshwater turtle)

TYPE: REPTILE

RANGE:

Northern Georgia,

Eastern Tennessee and

much of Virginia

FOOD:

Plants, crayfish, tadpoles,

small fish, snails, insects

PREDATORS:

Humans; bass, snakes,

wading birds, mink prey on

young cooters

HABITAT:

Streams, rivers, ponds,

lakes

DESCRIPTION

River cooters do not need to stick their heads up out of the water in order to breathe. They can put their nostrils just barely touching the surface and breathe that way. This is why people don’t see cooters very often.
Cooters are active only during the day.
They are sometimes seen basking on logs, but are very shy. If there is even a small sound or movement, they disappear out of sight.

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION

http://128.173.78.162/scripts/oicgi.exe/inet_xlate
click Species Information