Eastern river cooter (female digging a nest)

Description:

The broad and slightly flattened carapace is olive green or brownish with yellow markings. The plastron is usually a solid pale yellow, but the front half may have dark markings along the edges of the scutes that form an X, which usually fades in adults. The plastron is not hinged. The skin is dark with yellow stripes. Most individuals have a rearward facing C on the second costal scute. The chin looks flat when viewed from the front. The full-grown female is larger than the full-grown male. A male has long front claws and an old turtle may become dark and lose its color pattern. (information from "A Field Guide to Oklahoma's Amphibians and Reptiles")

Habitat:

City park

Notes:

I noticed this female starting to dig in a location that could be accessed by the large amount of school kids visiting that day, so I stuck around to shoot a few photos and guard her while she dug. Several groups passed by, yet nobody noticed her. After about 10 minutes of digging, she gave up and moved on. My guess is she ran into a tangle of plant roots that got in her way.