Redneck Returns
"Redneck," my Red-eared Slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) who went missing around the October full moon has returned, months early. But then it has been exceptionally hot and dry this winter so he probably felt like it was spring again. I very much enjoy the company of this gentle creature in afternoons by the ponds. This is Redneck's 8th year summering in our ponds.
Just as mysteriously as he disappeared, Redneck reappeared on the February full moon, a couple of weeks ago.
Redneck has very poor eyesight so he is only slowly becoming very tame again, where he will eat food from my hand. When I wear a hat or bright clothes he is initially scared and dives to the bottom of the pond and burrows in leaves.
I notice that when I throw food into the pond he has to dive underwater to see where the food is floating before rising to the surface to eat.
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Redneck's favorite pastime is basking in the sun. Late afternoons he loves to gorge on cat food. The floating blobs around him are cat food I've thrown into the pond for him. He is currently eating 2 cups of food per day.
Redneck seems to be staying mostly in the Big Pond which is about 6,000 gallons of still water, plenty of room for him to grow.
He appears a bit larger than when I last saw him. Perhaps the size of a large dinner plate now. I would guess he measures 12" across (30 cm).
None of the dozens of Yellow-bellied Sliders that I put into the 3 ponds last summer have yet reappeared. See TURTLE RESCUE for those images.
The Yellow-bellied Sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta) are native while Redneck is not. Redneck is of the variety of turtles that once were sold in pet shops across America. Often cited as the most widely illustrated turtle in the world the Red-eared Slider's indigenous range broadly covers the midwestern United States and extends as far east as West Virginia and Southern Ohio, as far west as eastern New Mexico, and as far south as the Rio Grand River.
These turtles, because they were sold as pets, have been introduced into most of the continental United States. In Florida, non-indigenous Red-eared Sliders have been found in scattered colonies throughout the peninsula. The peak of the Red-eared Slider's popularity was during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle television cartoon craze of the late 1980s.
In nearly all non-indigenous locations across America the Red-eared Sliders are reproducing and thriving.
Redneck is mostly aquatic, omnivorous, and rarely leaves the water except to bask. He seems to prefer quiet waters so I have turned off the water pumps in the Big Pond to accommodate him.
These turtles are known to thrive in the wild as far north as Portland, Cumberland County, Maine so I assume that they hibernate in cooler weather, and that is likely why I did not see Redneck for 5 months.
For more information about Red-eared Sliders check out the USGS's Nonindigeneous Aquatic Species page.
As our lake has gone almost completely dry I find it hard to imagine that Redneck traveled all the way from the current shoreline, nearly a mile to our north. However a couple of days ago a family of River Otters were in our Big Pond so I assume it is possible that turtles too could travel that distance.
Below: Our 700 acre virtually dry lake. A testament to the mismanagement of government officials starting with former Republican Governor Jeb Bush who ordered the lake drained in 2003 during the last high water event. Culminating with our current Governor Rick Scott who has pursued an agenda of rapid growth (for no apparent reason, growth for the sake of growth). The more straws in the aquifer the more lakes go dry, like ours.
To be fair climate change has also played a role in Florida's disappearing lakes and springs. Persistent drought has become common across the central peninsula of Florida. But Florida politicians are just as responsible for climate change as any other. Refusing to endorse solar energy, trying to deny woman access to family planning, while pursuing growth for the sake of more growth.
To be fair climate change has also played a role in Florida's disappearing lakes and springs. Persistent drought has become common across the central peninsula of Florida. But Florida politicians are just as responsible for climate change as any other. Refusing to endorse solar energy, trying to deny woman access to family planning, while pursuing growth for the sake of more growth.
Australia Bakes
Summer (February) 2017
Summer (February) 2017
Is Australia's Outback
The Hottest Place on Earth?
Heat waves are not unusual in Australia. A subtropical belt of high pressure that flows over the continent regularly delivers pulses of hot, dry air to the surface in the summer. Yet even by Australian standards, the intense heat wave of February 2017 has been remarkable.
When a high-pressure system stalled over central Australia, extreme temperatures emerged first in South Australia and Victoria and then spread to New South Wales, Queensland, and Northern Territory. With overheated bats dropping from trees and bushfires burning out of control, temperatures smashed records in many areas.
This map shows peak land surface temperatures between February 7 and 14, 2017, a period when some of the most extreme heating occurred. The map is based on data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. Note that it depicts land surface temperatures, not air temperatures. Land surface temperatures reflect how hot the surface of the Earth would feel to the touch in a particular location. They can sometimes be significantly hotter or cooler than air temperatures. (To learn more about LSTs and air temperatures, read: Where is the Hottest Place on Earth?)
On February 12, 2017, air temperatures rose to 46.6°C (115.9°F) in the coastal city of Port Macquarie, New South Wales, breaking the city’s all-time record by 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit). Two days earlier, the average maximum temperature across all of New South Wales hit a record-setting 42.4°C (108.3°F)—a record that was broken the next day when it rose to 44.0°C (111.2°F).
In some places, the duration of the heatwave has been noteworthy. Mungindi, a town on the border of Queensland and New South Wales, endured 52 days in a row when maximum temperatures exceeded 35°C (95°F)—a record for New South Wales.
Many scientists see exceptional heat waves like this as part of a broader trend. For instance, one study published by the Climate Council of Australia concluded that heatwaves—defined as at least three days of unusually high temperatures—grew significantly longer, more intense, and frequent between 1971 and 2008.
References
Macquarie Port News ( 2017, February 13) Port Macquarie registers its hottest day on record. Accessed February 17, 2017.
New Scientist (2017, February 13) Australia’s extreme heatwave is a preview of things to come. Accessed February 17, 2107.
The Conversation (2017, February 11) Climate change doubled the likelihood of the New South Wales heatwave. Accessed February 17, 2107.
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