Red-eared slider

What's a red-eared slider you ask? I didn't know until this morning and it all started with a near accident while on my way to the beach. Out of the corner of my eye scoots this dark shape moving quickly across my path and I'm about to run over it with my bicycle. Screeching to a halt I realize it's a turtle. Hey, what about that old tortoise and hare story? These old things were supposed to be slow. Not this guy! Anyway, I snapped a photo and went on my way to the beach, he (or she) went on his way across the 16th hole of the golf course. I wondered if he was one of those famous Florida Gopher Tortoises, a native of Florida and supposedly the only tortoise native to North America. Um-m-m-m.

This musing made me reminisce about of one of my favorite authors, Carl Hiaasen. He too is a native Floridian and writes books that make me shriek aloud with laughter while he delves into the plight of Florida wildlife and habitat. His book Lucky You is about a ruthless land developer and the Gopher Turtle. I also adored one called Skinny Dip, the first Hiaasen I read which made me devour even more. Great reads if you want to be entertained.

Back to my morning's turtle... I've discovered it is NOT a Gopher Turtle but a Red-Eared Slider, evident I guess by the red marking on its head. The poor thing had also been pretty much banged up and was displaying some scars on his shell probably from the many years he has been around. I guessed that he has some years on him from his size which was a good 12 to 15 inches not including his tail. These turtles are the kind that are often sold in pet shops as those cute little 2-3 inch aquarium turtles. From what I read they grow too big and people turn them loose. This lucky guy has found his way to the local golf course and can probably eke out a good and peaceful life there as long as he stays off the road and out of the path of bicyclers like me. 

What a good day, I enjoyed not only a bike ride and a walk on the beach, but I learned something new and got to meet a red-eared slider to boot!