Turtle Cannonball Run
It began, as many issues do lately, with a gaggle textual content dialog. A number of achieved subject herpers and I shared a dialog about what they thought could be an excellent alternative to see the very best of what the USA needed to provide by way of reptile variety. On the time, I had been discussing some world journey choices together with Vietnam and China with a good friend. The extra I thought of it, nevertheless, the extra I spotted that it was considerably silly to attempt to discover the world with out experiencing the superb biodiversity hotspot that’s the southern United States.
Black knob sawback turtle. Pictures taken in Alabama by Anthony Pierlioni
The thought shared by my buddies within the group chat was for a Turtle Cannonball Run, as we started calling it. None of them would find yourself becoming a member of me on the journey, however I took it to my good friend Kevin Pollack (KP) and we virtually instantly agreed that this was one thing we needed to do. Our plan was to cowl all the nation, the great distance, beginning in Jacksonville, FL and spanning all the way in which to Los Angeles, CA. Route 10 covers that total distance, however our objective could be to keep away from that highway in any respect prices. We’d cowl all the nation in solely eight days. We felt it was the proper period of time to actually hold the stress on. There could be a continuing stress to maintain shifting at almost all occasions, juxtaposed by a have to cease and search for reptiles. This may create fixed stress that was certain to make for a memorable story.
Black knob sawback turtle. Pictures taken in Alabama by Anthony Pierlioni
KP is a proficient, educated, and achieved subject herper, whereas I’m extra of a wildlife hype man who likes to go to consultants within the subject for a day or two at a time. This may be the largest subject herping endeavor of my life, and it wouldn’t even be shut. We labored exhausting to establish folks to probably be part of us, and punctiliously curated that listing and in the end invited a couple of. The third and ultimate particular person to hitch us on our journey could be my finest good friend and former faculty basketball teammate, John Weir. A really insightful human, John and I all the time had deep conversations in regards to the pure world and the influence people have on it.
Cumberland slider. Pictures taken in Alabama by Anthony Pierlioni
We’re Actually Doin’ It
One of many first orders of enterprise for us was to establish areas we wished to go to, in addition to species we wished to prioritize. We wanted to remember that if we turned in a single course, prioritizing a species, we is likely to be forfeiting our possibilities to see one other. The identical was true for persevering with to drive throughout the nation. Any progress we made meant we have been leaving prime habitat for a species we had not but, and sure wouldn’t, encounter.
We additionally made an inventory of over-under predictions for what we’d encounter on the journey. Not being very achieved betting males, the predictions didn’t finish with the proverbial half level, which might assist us keep away from a push, the place no matter we discovered had no likelihood of equaling our prediction. For a preliminary stab at this, we guessed that we have been more likely to discover 13 completely different turtles, seven snakes, eight lizards, 10 frogs and toads, two salamanders, and one crocodilian.
Jap river cooter. Pictures taken in Alabama by Anthony Pierlioni
We landed in Jacksonville and John was speaking about highway cruising. He had by no means finished it earlier than, however was already referring to the exercise as his favourite a part of the journey. On our first little bit of cruising, we might discover a number of snakes, together with corn snakes, rat snakes and garter snakes. It was out journey to the springs nevertheless, that introduced us what we have been actually after. We discovered 45 turtles within the brief time we have been there, together with Suwanee River cooters, loggerhead musk turtles, and a species we have been enormously hoping to see within the state of Florida, a gopher tortoise.
Babajaga
The actual star of this journey was additionally discovered right here although. I used to be busy swimming via the springs, which was not fairly. In truth, my efforts within the spring could be extra appropriately described as narrowly escaping demise by drowning. For one single second, nevertheless, I used to be capable of rise above my challenges and dive to seize what was my largest hope for the journey.
A big, historic Suwanee alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis) was sitting on the underside, attempting to keep away from detection. I grabbed her and lifted her out of the water, the crew of subject consultants that joined us within the springs erupting with pleasure. Jack Thompson, a university scholar and volunteer for the superb Santa Fe River Turtle Venture, was most excited. He had been to this spring round 60 occasions however had by no means seen this turtle.
Ornate field turtle. Picture by Anthony Pierlioni
A real legend on this space, Babajaga, as she was identified by the consultants that lead analysis tasks there, was as historic as she was spectacular. She was fairly giant for a feminine, the smaller of the 2 sexes in alligator snappers. She was blind, with cataracts in her eyes, which defined how I lastly succeeded in catching a turtle that day.
Jack and Anthony with Babajaga. Picture by John Weir
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle is well-known amongst turtle consultants for its variety of species. There have been two teams of animals we have been most excited to see in that space. The primary was the most important field turtle subspecies inside North America, the Gulf Coast Field Turtle (Terrapene carolina main). They’re identified to have an particularly hanging phenotype on this space of the nation, with males sporting white, yellow, and even blue coloration on their heads. Whereas within the Apalachicola Nationwide Forest we noticed a couple of that had been killed on the highway. Simply earlier than we ended our time there, we discovered one animal that had not been hit. It was an excellent aid to go away the forest profitable.
Loggerhead musk turtle. Picture by John Weir
We additionally noticed Jap mud turtles (Kinosternon subrubrum), which have been out and about, very similar to the field turtles, because of current rain that had made the dust highway we have been touring flooded and slick. Our rental van was coated in mud by the point we made it out of the forest. We additionally remarked rather a lot about how even in a nationwide forest, man can have such a huge effect on the vegetation and animals discovered there. Habitat fragmentation, degradation, and elimination could be evident throughout the nation, however this was the primary time we have been actually seeing it.
Cagle’s map turtle. Picture taken in Texas by Anthony Pierlioni
The subsequent cease within the panhandle introduced us one thing particular within the type of three new turtle species. KP had bought a brand new scope for this journey, which gave us the chance to view and even {photograph} basking turtles in large element. On a log we noticed a number of new species all collectively, together with Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera aspera) and Jap River cooters (Pseudemys concinna concinna). The shining stars of that group of basking turtles in our eyes have been the Barbour’s map turtles (Graptemys barbouri) we have been seeing, particularly a big feminine. These huge women are particular as a result of they grow to be megacephalic as adults, largely on account of their food plan, which incorporates exhausting shelled mollusks.
Gulf Coast field turtle photographed in Mississippi. Picture by John Weir
KP had many “herper guidelines” for what would and wouldn’t rely as precise finds for our three-person crew. If an animal was discovered by another person simply earlier than we have been there, that might not rely as an encounter, for instance. The scope would rely, although, even when we have been a bit far-off from the animal(s) in query. Basically, we would wish to search out it and have the ability to establish it, and it additionally needed to be alive.
Turtle Blitz
All through the subsequent a number of states, we might trip the excessive from what we had encountered in Florida. It began in Alabama, the place we breezed into the state in a cliché approach, blasting Lynyrd Skynyrd after darkish. We determined to push on, which might show to be a call that might hold us out till round 4 a.m. and would result in us spending the night time in a Walmart car parking zone. The issues we do for reptiles.
A gopher tortoise in Florida. Picture by Anthony Pierlioni
We have been capable of observe Escambia map turtles (Graptemys ernsti), black-knob sawbacks (Graptemys nigrinoda), intermediate musk turtles (Sternotherus intermedius), Cumberland sliders (Trachemys scripta troostii), and Alabama red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys alabamensis). Our heads have been spinning. Seeing all of those animals of their pure habitat was unimaginable. The rising listing of species encountered was sufficient to maintain our vitality up regardless of solely sleeping a couple of hours within the final two days.
In Mississippi we stored including to the totals. We began off discovering a marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) and Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), however rapidly obtained the turtle occasion began once more with the discovering of Pascagoula map turtles (Graptemys gibbonsi) and yellow-blotched map turtles (Graptemys flavimaculata). We leaped for pleasure each time we encountered a brand new species, however the primary species we have been in search of at that web site had not but been encountered.
Intermediate musk turtle. Picture taken in Alabama by Anthony Pierlioni
The Pleistocene field turtle lived roughly 10,000 years in the past. We had heard reviews that the species should be alive in a distant a part of Mississippi, and up to date literature means that the species nonetheless exists inside residing field turtles. Extra particularly, this ancestor of contemporary field turtles was thought to nonetheless stay on right now inside Gulf Coast field turtles.
We seemed and seemed, and have been able to name it quits, being so exhausted from the times prior. Simply then, we discovered them. Two grownup male Gulf Coast field turtles that look completely completely different than any we’ve got seen. The animals have darkish shells and pores and skin, together with uniquely uniform markings.
We felt like we had discovered one thing actually particular, that maybe was but to be described and studied. Sooner or later, we hope to assist assist work to look additional into this.
Evening Strikes
Subsequent up was the primary location we might go to with out the assist of an outdoor skilled that had private data of the websites. In different phrases, we have been on our personal. We made an government determination to keep away from New Orleans regardless of John’s want to have a bowl of gumbo. We have been heading north of the remainder of our path, hoping we might make it to a particular habitat in time so as to add one other species to our listing.
By the point we obtained there, shadows have been excessive, which isn’t conducive to in search of basking species just like the map turtles we have been after. We wanted to search out the turtles earlier than the solar set on our hopes. As we walked feverishly towards the river, we came across a public seaside with nobody on it. An deserted blanket and radio was enjoying. As we noticed the turtles basking, Evening Strikes by Bob Seger started to play on the radio. It was a surreal second. We have been taking a look at ringed map turtles (Graptemys oculifera), my favourite species within the genus.
The Highway to Buffalo Bayou
In Louisiana, we began to see much less turtle variety. We have been, for the primary time, seeing the notorious red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) in its pure habitat. I couldn’t imagine we made it this far throughout the nation with out seeing one. The whole state, being the swamp that it’s, is a very altered swamp. Evidently all water has been formed by man to farm crayfish and serve different functions. The artifical undertones don’t waver as we enter Texas. Giant gasoline refineries and flaming towers prolong from them as we enter the land of oil derricks.
Texas water snake. Picture by Anthony Pierlioni
East Texas would show to be extra of a constructive space for looking. We began discovering an array of snakes, together with a Dekay snake (Storeria dekayi), broad band water snakes (Nerodia sp.), Western rat snakes (Pantherophis obsoletus), and our first cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) of the journey. We lastly discovered our first bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) and KP discovered a tough earth snake (Virginia striatula) whereas we stopped to fuel up the van, which was already coated in mud. We had been highway cruising with the aspect doorways open, which made for a horrible setting for everybody’s lungs.
Subsequent, we headed to Buffalo Bayou to satisfy researchers who had traps within the water. So long as we have been there to test the traps, any finds would rely, in accordance with KP’s guidelines. The traps weren’t set accurately, so we didn’t discover the alligator snapping turtles we had hoped for, however one lure did comprise a big Pallid softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera pallida) that was superbly coloured. Eric Munscher, the pinnacle of the undertaking, joked that the snappers listed here are possible a number of the solely turtles which you could say have eaten people, given the quantity of human our bodies that find yourself in Buffalo Bayou, which runs via town of Houston.
Tough earth snake in Texas. Picture by Anthony Pierlioni
Earlier than reaching the middle of Texas, the place issues flip into desert, we have been capable of encounter many extra species, together with Mississippi map turtles (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii), frequent snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), diamondback water snakes (Nerodia rhombifer), a stinkpot musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), an ornate field turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata), Texas cooters (Pseudemys texana), and an unimaginable Cagle’s map turtle (Graptemys caglei). Our hopes simply stored on being fulfilled and we questioned how lengthy this might proceed.
Recognize the Surroundings
As soon as we hit the desert, all the things modified. We have been in prime nation for locating snakes, however the time of 12 months was mistaken. Herein lies one other foremost battle for a visit like this. What’s prime timing for one area is probably going contraindicated for different areas. We discovered virtually nothing via the western half of Texas. We determined we would have liked a win and prioritized a spot in New Mexico the place we felt we might make an actual reminiscence.
Highway herping throughout the USA.
The choice was made to go for it, so we drove northwest to the Black River looking for a really particular species for me. As a lifelong turtle keeper, I’ve labored with many species. I can nonetheless bear in mind the primary time I had a turtle shipped to me. It was an attractive Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi) that I stored for a few years. I instructed KP and John tales about that as we drove on bridges over “rivers” that had not a drop of water in them. Once we reached the Black River, nevertheless, we discovered it.
KP requested, “Do sliders have crimson on their bridge?”
“They certain don’t!” I replied. There have been a number of Rio Grande cooters basking on fallen logs.
The joy of that discover could be brief lived and we’d have to proceed to understand the surroundings as we discovered little via the state of Arizona. The whole eclipse we had been listening to about all week was seen above us as we looked for mud turtles (Kinosternon sp.) in freezing chilly water and desert tortoises (Gopherus sp.) on land. No such luck. We did discover some new lizard species and a canyon tree frog (Dryophytes arenicolor). Arizona was the primary state we visited the place we had not discovered a turtle. The desert was not form to us.
Goals
We wrapped up our unimaginable journey throughout the nation on day eight, with the eighth state we might encounter. We discovered a chuckwalla (Sauromalus sp.) at Joshua Tree Nationwide Park and a tremendously coloured California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) close to a roadside canal. These two finds have been necessary for us not solely as a result of they added new taxa to our listing, however as a result of they have been new lifer species we had by no means seen within the wild. In truth, these have been even lifer species for KP, who was visibly excited to have discovered them.
A chuckwalla wedged between some boulders. Picture taken in California by Kevin Pollack
One final web site, after numerous stops lengthy the way in which, stood between us and a return dwelling. This spot was one I had been to earlier than, and was the kind of place you would possibly suppose up solely in a dream. A concrete culvert alongside a homeless particular person camp, on the border of Los Angeles County, is without doubt one of the most surreal photographs you may think about as a reptile lover.
The expansive culvert seems like the situation the place automobiles have been raced within the film Grease or the place Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to outrun the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. A small quantity , relative to the scale of the concrete expanse, of water runs via right into a artifical canal with boulders alongside its banks. Over a dozen buying carts might be seen, scattered all through the water.
Throughout the area, inexperienced sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and red-eared sliders swim collectively, the latter representing a inhabitants of launched pets. This unlikely scene, the place these unlikely species appear to coexist properly, not less than upon floor degree viewing, speaks to the adaptability of turtles. The ocean turtles appear to be drawn to brilliant inexperienced sludge that runs down the culverts and into the canal, and the sliders live there, in what have to be brackish water, regardless of being a species tailored for all times in freshwater.
Kevin Pollack with a salamander
It appeared a becoming ending to an epic journey the place we noticed the influence that people can have on the pure locations the animals that we love name dwelling. If we’re going to proceed to take pleasure in these animals that we love a lot, we should do all that we will to guard them and their habitats. We got down to see a number of the wildest swamps, bogs, bayous, rivers, prairies, and canals that the USA has to supply. Other than one Native American reservation in Arizona, all the panorama had been altered, some way more extensively than others.
We weren’t certain how our group would fare on this journey. Eight straight days of stress stuffed journey shouldn’t be for everybody. John and KP had by no means met earlier than the journey, and I hoped they might get alongside. I believe they appreciated one another greater than both of them like me.
This constructive interpersonal final result was after all aided by the truth that we discovered animals – 413 actually! We discovered 59 completely different herp taxa, together with 27 turtles and tortoises, 9 snakes, 10 lizards, two salamanders, and which ought to come as no shock, one crocodilian. The one animals we didn’t meet our over-under for have been frogs and toads. We discovered 5.
Of all of the animals we had discovered, 275 of them have been turtles. That implies that 67% of the animals we encountered have been of the shelled selection. Our hope, is that we, in addition to different herpers can take the precedent we set to attempt to beat our numbers for turtles and different herp species. That’s, earlier than we get on the market and take a look at it once more ourselves.
Anthony Pierlioni is the Vice President of theTurtleRoom, a world turtle conservation group. He retains and breeds quite a few endangered species of turtle and tortoise and works to teach the general public about their plight. Anthony has written 5 books, one on veterinary management and 4 on turtles. His two most up-to-date books are The Nice American Turtle Chase and Turtle Preservation: The Final Information to Turtle Husbandry. Anthony’s YouTube Channel, Simply Turtles, particulars his adventures as a turtle preservationist, conservationist, and advocate.You may order The Nice American Turtle Chase on Amazon. https://shorturl.at/hnaUE
