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Range: Coastal Eastern United States Habitat: Marsh lands and salt marsh estuaries. Natural Diet: Invertebrates and fish Diet at Rain Forest: Invertebrates and fish Size: Females much larger than males. Females may attain a carapace length of 8" males generally not exceeding 5" Rain Forest Facts: This turtle
has highly variable color patterns, arguably one of the prettiest of North
American turtles, the Diamondback is an egg layer. A female Diamondback
will deposit up to 8 leathery eggs into a nest excavated on the bank of the pond
or stream. Once a wide ranging animal the Diamondback
Status in Wild: Significant decline in numbers due to loss of habitat and human consumption, this is the turtle used in most "Turtle Soup"
This species is not currently on exhibit at RainForest
RainForest Adventures zoo, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN |
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Terrapin is now
declining in the majority of it's former range. Loss of habitat to human
development coupled with the practice of killing this species for turtle soup
have led to a massive decrease in the native populations.