One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen was a small turtle trying to warm itself in the sun.
We were canoeing down the San Marcos River in Central Texas. The San Marcos is fed from a large spring near the town of San Marcos, and we were not far from the source of the water when we put in our canoes. Underground water that is not otherwise heated by geothermal activity is typically about 56 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold winter’s day, if you step into 56 degree water, it feels as warm as soup. On a hot Texas Summer day however, with temperatures well over 90 degrees, jumping into 56 degree water will take your breath away.
Canoeing is a very pleasant way to travel. You cruise silently along on the water, slipping smoothly around the bends in the river. The San Marcos River, right in the town of San Marcos, is lined with lush green trees and vegetation. The greenery, plus the effect of the cold water, makes for a pleasant, cool journey on an otherwise hot day. One of the things you notice right away are the many turtles on the river. They are mostly what are called “Red Eared Sliders”, named for the small red marks on the sides of their heads where their ears would be (can’t say that I have any idea what a turtles ears would look like, but that’s where they get their name). Normally, when “Red Ears” are resting, they float with just the tips of their snouts sticking out of the water. They sit in the water with their backs down at angles so that none of their shell is visible on the surface. You can see them floating on cow ponds, and rivers where the water is much warmer, and they quickly pull their heads under and swim away if you disturb them.
But on the San Marcos, because the water is cold, these cold-blooded reptiles need to escape the chill often and warm themselves if they are to have enough agility to forage for food. So as one gently glides along in a canoe, you see dozens and dozens of “Red Ears”, of all sizes, pulled up on rocks and the many sticks and logs at the water’s edge, in particular on those resting places exposed to the sun. The water of the San Marcos must be rich in minerals as it bubbles to the surface at the spring. That, plus the rich vegetation create, apparently, a place where turtles can live in abundance. But such abundance creates competition for the warm sunny places.
What I saw that was so surprising was the inventiveness and adaptability of an animal that one wouldn’t necessarily think of as “smart”. As I came into view of a small log sticking up out of the water, I noticed that the log happened to be pointing directly at the position of the sun. Next I noticed that a medium-sized turtle had crawled up out of the water, well up onto the log, and his head, forelimbs and the front of his shell were nicely exposed to the warm morning sun. I then noticed that a second, smaller turtle had crawled up onto the log behind his slightly larger partner. Problem was, the small turtle was completely in the shade of the first turtle, because of the angle of the stick to the sun.
But the smaller turtle was resourceful. Somehow, he had stretched his left hind leg far enough out to the side and had noticed as he did so, that he felt the warmth of the sun on his toes ! So, he (or she) sat there on the log, totally in the shade except for the end of his outstretched left leg, his little webbed left foot, and his tiny little toe nails. Unable to find a prime sunning location, he (or she) had made the best of the situation and began warming up at least a little bit, by artfully stretching out his leg.
As we got closer, we disturbed their peace, and they “slid” off the log, splashing back into the water. This time, I’m guessing, the small turtle was thinking of a way he could scramble around through the water and get back up onto that log…first !
We were canoeing down the San Marcos River in Central Texas. The San Marcos is fed from a large spring near the town of San Marcos, and we were not far from the source of the water when we put in our canoes. Underground water that is not otherwise heated by geothermal activity is typically about 56 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold winter’s day, if you step into 56 degree water, it feels as warm as soup. On a hot Texas Summer day however, with temperatures well over 90 degrees, jumping into 56 degree water will take your breath away.
Canoeing is a very pleasant way to travel. You cruise silently along on the water, slipping smoothly around the bends in the river. The San Marcos River, right in the town of San Marcos, is lined with lush green trees and vegetation. The greenery, plus the effect of the cold water, makes for a pleasant, cool journey on an otherwise hot day. One of the things you notice right away are the many turtles on the river. They are mostly what are called “Red Eared Sliders”, named for the small red marks on the sides of their heads where their ears would be (can’t say that I have any idea what a turtles ears would look like, but that’s where they get their name). Normally, when “Red Ears” are resting, they float with just the tips of their snouts sticking out of the water. They sit in the water with their backs down at angles so that none of their shell is visible on the surface. You can see them floating on cow ponds, and rivers where the water is much warmer, and they quickly pull their heads under and swim away if you disturb them.
But on the San Marcos, because the water is cold, these cold-blooded reptiles need to escape the chill often and warm themselves if they are to have enough agility to forage for food. So as one gently glides along in a canoe, you see dozens and dozens of “Red Ears”, of all sizes, pulled up on rocks and the many sticks and logs at the water’s edge, in particular on those resting places exposed to the sun. The water of the San Marcos must be rich in minerals as it bubbles to the surface at the spring. That, plus the rich vegetation create, apparently, a place where turtles can live in abundance. But such abundance creates competition for the warm sunny places.What I saw that was so surprising was the inventiveness and adaptability of an animal that one wouldn’t necessarily think of as “smart”. As I came into view of a small log sticking up out of the water, I noticed that the log happened to be pointing directly at the position of the sun. Next I noticed that a medium-sized turtle had crawled up out of the water, well up onto the log, and his head, forelimbs and the front of his shell were nicely exposed to the warm morning sun. I then noticed that a second, smaller turtle had crawled up onto the log behind his slightly larger partner. Problem was, the small turtle was completely in the shade of the first turtle, because of the angle of the stick to the sun.
But the smaller turtle was resourceful. Somehow, he had stretched his left hind leg far enough out to the side and had noticed as he did so, that he felt the warmth of the sun on his toes ! So, he (or she) sat there on the log, totally in the shade except for the end of his outstretched left leg, his little webbed left foot, and his tiny little toe nails. Unable to find a prime sunning location, he (or she) had made the best of the situation and began warming up at least a little bit, by artfully stretching out his leg.
As we got closer, we disturbed their peace, and they “slid” off the log, splashing back into the water. This time, I’m guessing, the small turtle was thinking of a way he could scramble around through the water and get back up onto that log…first !
No wild turtles were “disturbed” in the writing of this story.
This is Eric, Charles & Jamie’s “pet” Red Eared Slider.
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