Amazing Cooter!!
 

Went to the cape today and hit a favorite pond to cool off and do some sweet water fishing.

Well the fishing was sub par.

But did manage to chase down this turtle while swimming.

It is a red bellied cooter turtle, it's like a giant version of a painted turtle.

They are an endangered and protected species, thing was massive, and pretty fast once it got going in the water.

Massachusetts has one of the highest populations of them in the US and 90 percent are found in ponds on the Cape.

Amazing colors, the reds and yellows were super bright, the shell was a dark chocolate brown with deep burgandy stripes.

Took some pics and let all the kids on the beach check it out before sending her back off into the pond.

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Very cool! I love that third pictue down. Looks like the turtle is totally hamming it up for the camera.

Looking at the Title, and knowing your past history of posts, I have to say I was a little disappointed in the Photographs.

Cool turtle though....:kewl:

Same here, was expecting a different type of Cooter

Yhea, I had to go to another site to look at some Kate Upton pictures.

:rotf2: Also thinking the same. Great pic's Chris. Very cool stuff.

wicked nice C&R and awesome pictures

Hey Chris
I've only seen one in my life in Smithfield, RI but couldn't get as close.
Not sure if the smaller turtle is a baby or a sun/painted turtle.




[SIZE="2""I like turtles"[/SIZE]

They are really cool looking, and have amazing colors.

This one pond I sweet water fish on the cape has probably about 2 dozen of them maybe more.

I think one issue they have is they are way to curious for there own good.

Last time I was there I was about waist deep in my waders and I had 4 of them popping up on my side, just looking at me, they were only about 3 feet away.

I've never seen a baby/smaller one, just the full grown versions.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Cool Pics