Pseudemys rubriventris
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The northern red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) or American red-bellied turtle is a species of turtle in the Pseudemys (cooter) genus of the family Emydidae. This is a fairly large river turtle. Females average about 30 cm (12 in) in length and weigh on average around 3 kg (6.6 lb), although large females can measure up to 40 cm (16 in). Males' maximum size is 29.5 centimetres (11.6 in). The northern red-bellied turtle is the largest recorded basking turtle in the Chesapeake Bay region.
It is endemic to the United States. The current range of the red-bellied turtle includes a population in Massachusetts, the Plymouth red-bellied turtle, which was previously considered a distinct subspecies (Pseudemys rubriventris bangsi) as well as the coastal areas of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
The red-bellied turtle has appeared on Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission lists of endangered amphibians and reptiles since 1978 (McCoy 1985). Small (less than thirty individuals... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Parque Municipal Summit | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 3 | Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Virginia Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Central Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Zoo Koki (Parque zoológico y botánico) | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | WWI Memorial Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Heartwood Haven Animal Sanctuary | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Red-bellied Cooter sighting in Philadelphia on a given day, based on 63 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 7th most-seen of the 17 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Red-bellied Cooter in Philadelphia on a given day, against under 5% in July and October–February, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Red-bellied Cooter sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Northern Red-bellied Cooter sightings, Philadelphia ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Washington (United States, about 20%).
Same family: Emydidae
The closest relatives of the Northern Red-bellied Cooter that you can see in Philadelphia (family Emydidae, Pond and Box Turtles) are Pond Slider (about 30%) and Painted Turtle (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Red-bellied Cooter is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Philadelphia (63 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
