Eastern Mud Turtle Saved By Bacon

An endangered species in some US states, the Eastern Mud Turtle resides in many places in the USA. The turtle can be found in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia

Preferring to dwell in ponds and freshwater spaces, it's apt that in 1993 avid water conservationist and successful hedge fund manager Louis Bacon bought Robins Island to save it from bankruptcy. The New Suffolk bay, situated 80 miles off the mainland of New York, is home to many Eastern Mud Turtles. Not realising this when he purchased it, Louis Bacon has worked hard to preserve the land for these endangered turtles; now Robins Island holds the healthiest population of Eastern Mud Turtle in the whole of the USA.

By conversing the waterways of this 435 acre island, means that food is plentiful for the turtle species, who enjoying dining on insects and small fish. Despite living in or near water the Eastern Mud Turtle is not a strong swimmer. Their natural predators are herons and alligators, but their patternless shells make them good hiders, camouflaging themselves on the river banks and being buried under leaves, avoiding becoming a meal themselves. Their small size also helps them avoid being noticed, growing to a little over 4" as adults.

If approached these little turtles can deliver quite a powerful bite, although because of their size the worst a human can expect is a nasty cut from their sharp, hooked beaks.

These turtles generally reside in the Southeast of America, however Robin Island is the farthest North they have been located.

The Moore Charitable Foundation which was set-up by philanthropist Louis Bacon works with a number of charities to help preserve and conserve the waterways and land of America.