Fifteen Kinds of Turtles on Sanibel Add to Natural Diversity

Sanibel Island is a great place to live.

Not just for we two leggers, but for four leggers, winged friends and everything fascinating that swims or crawls.

And there are so many wonderful and varied friends on Island that walk, swim, fly and crawl!

According to the staff herpetologist at the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation  there are  15 different varieties of turtles alone found on the island. They include the Florida softshell turtle, loggerhead, green, Kemp's Ridley, leatherback, Florida snapping, Florida chicken, ornate diamondback terrapin, Florida redbelly, peninsula cooter, Florida box, red-eared slider, yellowbelly slider, striped mud and gopher tortoise.


One of the  great presentations featured by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), entitled "The Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins of Sanibel and Captiva," explains the lifecycle of some of the islands most intriguing inhabitants, how they have survived through millions of years and how miraculous some of these shelled creatures really are.


Aside from the visual diversity the turtles provide, their behavior is a very interesting aspect of nature to study.  For example,  the temperature of sea turtle nests will determine what sex the babies will be. And, leatherbacks can dive to 3,300 feet, carry twice as much oxygen in their blood than other sea turtles and have a very high metabolism. Other interesting nuances about turtles include:  Walking helps snapping turtles draw in air to breathe, soaking in the sun assists turtles in synthesizing Vitamin D and helps reduce the growth of algae and parasites, and tortoises can go without water for up to six months, storing moisture in its bladder


The turtle's shell is beneficial in many ways.   It not only provides protection against predators, but it also helps regulate internal temperature, absorbing lactic acid and preventing dehydration.


It's fascinating to study the various body parts of turtles — including the carapace (top) and plastron (bottom) of the reptiles — as well as what methods they incorporate for breathing, digging and flipping over.


While visitors may not come to Sanibel specifically for our 15 varieties of turtles, having them here certainly helps the Island to offer the unique eco-diversity it does!