Pseudemys peninsularis
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The peninsula cooter (Pseudemys peninsularis), sometimes referred to as the peninsular cooter, is a species of freshwater turtle in the genus Pseudemys. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the coastal plain cooter (P. floridana) when that turtle is not itself considered a subspecies of the river cooter (P. concinna).
The peninsula cooter is an average sized member of the family Emydidae, typically reaching carapace lengths of 9-13 in (23–33 cm) and weights of 5-15 lbs (2.27-6.8 kg). However, they are capable of surpassing 16" (40.64 cm) and 35 pounds (15.876 kg). Peninsula cooters can be distinguished from the Florida red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni) by their lack of a reddish plastron and the presence of dozens of yellow stripes on their carapace, limbs, head, and tail. Males can be distinguished from females by not only their smaller size, but their greatly elongated front claws. These claws are used to stimulate the female prior to mating.
The species is widespread in peninsular Florida. It can be found in rivers, ponds, and lakes. Bibliography Rhodin, Anders G.J.; van Dijk, Peter Paul; Inverson, John B.; Shaffer... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Seoul | 🇰🇷 South Korea | |
| 4 | Madrid | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney's Animal Kingdom | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Busch Gardens Tampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Jungle Adventures | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Animal - Bird Collection | 🇬🇷 Greece | |
| 6 | Castellar Zoo | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 7 | Florida Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Mote SEA | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Aquário Vasco da Gama | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 11 | Tennessee Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Key West Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Reptile World Serpentarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Peninsular Cooter sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 138 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and March
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Peninsular Cooter in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against about 10% in May and September, the lowest months. Those are among Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's driest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against 210 mm in September.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Peninsular Cooter sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Peninsular Cooter sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge ranks 2nd at about 30%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Peninsular Cooter is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (138 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
