The Circles Of Life 9

“Softshell turtles’ shells are leathery and pliable. They can’t pull into their shells and instead bite in defence when threatened. Their long necks can reach very far to dissuade attackers. They can run at surprising, extreme speeds to return to their watery homes.”

“If I could be misguided about what I thought made a turtle a turtle, what else did I not understand about reptiles?”

An entry for my weekly project about creatures and the people who study, protect, and live for our non-human cohabitants. This one is about a reptile specialist who studies the social lives of reptiles.

Read the full story: https://the-circles-of-life.tumblr.com/post/171374277665/apalone-spinifera-spiny-softshell-turtle-ft-julia