May 2002
Along highway 41 along north end of Everglades National Park
A Florida Softshell Turtle, Trionyx ferox, that I saved from
three vultures were behind waiting for it to get smushed as it as it
basked on the
highway.
And what thanks did I get? It lunged at me before I took this picture
but luckily I already knew how to handle it and not to get to close to
the
business end.
This one was about 20 inches long (carapace was about 16 inches long)
so it was definitely a female. I've seen some bigger ones
though.
Males are much smaller.