Turtle, Tortoises and Terrapins

There are 15 species of turtles documented  for Sanibel and Captiva. These include sea turtles, ornate diamondback terrapins, Florida box turtles, and gopher tortoises. The Sanibel-

Captiva Conservation Foundation does sea turtle nest monitoring in the summer, counts gopher tortoise burrows in October, and does surveys in its protected wetlands for the other fresh water turtle species.

Learn about the diamondback terrapins that live in the mangroves that were once eaten in turtle soup. Jewel , Gem, and Handsome are swimming in their own 220-gallon tank. Watch Lucky, the softshell turtle, inhale her food like a vacuum cleaner while snorkeling in her tank. Meet Happy the five-year-old snapping turtle. Alice the gopher tortoise is back in her summer burrow behind the nature center. Join SCCF on Tuesday, June 14 at 10 a.m. to learn more about the Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins of Sanibel and Captiva. Following a PowerPoint presentation, everyone will tour the live tanks. Cost of the program is $5 for adult non-members, and free for SCCF members and children. Call 472-2329 for more information.