Overview
The smooth softshell turtle is a medium-sized freshwater turtle known for its flat, leathery shell and long, snorkel-like nose. These turtles inhabit large rivers and streams with sandy or muddy bottoms where they can bury themselves completely in sand, leaving only their nose exposed. Smooth softshell turtles may live 20 to 30 years. Males don’t reproduce until they’re at least 4 years old, while females wait until they’re at least 9 years old. Females lay four to 33 eggs in late spring to early summer that hatch after 60 to 90 days. Threats to smooth softshell turtles include habitat loss and degradation, as well as pollution and road mortality.
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Geography
Watch for smooth softshell turtles in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.