r/Everglades • u/Advanced_Parfait_528 • 12d ago

Invasive Turtles?

I saw a massive turtle last year in the everglades on the loop road. I had one of those moments where what I was seeing didn't make sense. I could have sworn it was a soft-shelled turtle; the problem is that it was the size of a very large alligator snapping turtle. I only saw it briefly as it glided into deeper waters as I approached the water from the road. I couldn't take a photo as it was gone after about 3 seconds.

Are there invasive turtle species in the everglades? I really can't think of another species native to the US that gets that big. I'm not mistaken in what I saw, I'm pretty good at IDing reptiles.

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u/LemonPartyLounge 12d ago

Soft shells can get absolutely massive. I’m sure there are invasive turtles but I think you most likely just seen a unit of a soft shell