Florida soft shell turtle

Description:

This is a turtle with a rather flat shell with distinctive nobby texture around the outer edges of the shell. It has thick clawed front feet and a long neck which it can extend out from its body. It has a distinctive tubular nose. This turtle is dark gray in color.

Habitat:

This turtle was spotted trying to cross the narrow road which runs through St. Andrews State Park near Panama City, Florida. It is a wildlife area and visitors were observed driving very slowly and cautiously near the turtle. This is an unspoiled area of native trees and plants, and a marsh where there are many wading birds and alligators. The nearby white sand beaches front the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay and host breeding sea turtles. There are deer in the area and possibly bears. There's a beach nearby protected by rock jetties where visitors may swim and snorkel.

Notes:

Visitors stopped to admire and photograph the turtle, but did not touch or hinder it in any way.