This being World Turtle Day according to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, we thought we would share a picture of two yellow-bellied sliders sunning themselves on a log at Sandy Run Park in Kitty Hawk
For anyone who has every been at Sandy Run Park, well, the yellow bellied slider sort of define the word ubiquitous. They are so numerous it’s tough to know if they could even be counted
They are not, however, the only species there. It’s fairly common to see a snapping turtle swimming by. Very occasionally a painted turtle will show up…but really, at Sandy Run, it’s mostly yellow-bellied sliders.
Make no mistake though, the sedges and wetlands of the maritime forests of the Outer Banks are filled with quite a number of other turtles.
Spotted turtles are common in Kitty Hawk Woods, although the dense foliage and extensive wetlands can make it hard to find them.
Or head over to Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge where Northern Red-Bellied Cooters are common, which makes their number there quite surprising. They are considered an endangered species.
The NC Wildlife Resources Commission lists the Eastern Box Turtle as rare along the Outer Banks. We’re not so sure about that. Common? No. Rare. Not really.
And the snapping turtles. Well, they’re just about everywhere. They look fierce, but actually they are quite shy, really wanting nothing to do with a species as large as humans. Don’t dangle a finger in front of them—they’re called snapping turtles for a reason, but otherwise, they are not aggressive at all.
Spring is egg laying season for quite a number of female turtles and some of them will wonder considerable distances to find a suitable place to deposit their eggs. It’s common to see a turtle crossing the road at this time of the year, so be courteous and patient and stop. If it’s not a snapping turtle, maybe help them across the road.
So much to explore on the Outer Banks from Corolla to Hatteras, and so little time. Be sure to take a week or two in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.