American Herping: A Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians in US Zoos

Family Podocnemididae

Our last family of side-necked turtles – 8 species in total, 7 of which are from tropical South America. The largest freshwater turtle that’s ever been discovered (now extinct) was a member of this group, and some of these turtles still carry that mammoth legacy today. 6 of the 8 species were found in the survey.

Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) – Very Common

Perhaps something of a sleeper hit, this unassuming river turtle is a decently-sized turtle with yellow spots adorning its head. Once exploited heavily for the pet trade, captive breeding has sustained the population more recently. It can be found in large and small zoos alike.

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Taken at the Dallas World Aquarium by @Ituri

Arrau Turtle (Podocnemis expansa) – Prevalent to Common

Called by many other names (such as Giant Amazon River Turtle), these are the largest freshwater turtles in South America – and they are massive at up to 3.5 ft long and 200 lbs. They nest in large groups along Amazonian beaches; rather than abandoning their young (as many turtles do), the females will emit a call to bring the hatchlings to her for safety. They make other sounds to each other as well, a fascinating example of socialization among reptiles.

Despite being officially listed by the IUCN as Least Concern, that determination was made in 1996 and since then it appears they are probably Critically Endangered. While I don’t know if any US zoos have bred them, we appear to have at least 3x as many holders as Europe; hopefully that provides enough of a nucleus for future success.

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Showing the size differential with a smaller turtle
Taken at Zoo Krefeld (Germany) by @vogelcommando

Madagascar Big-headed Turtle (Erymnochelys madagascariensis) – Uncommon

The only member of the family from outside South America, this is perhaps one of the few Malagasy vertebrates whose presence goes all the way back to pre-island Gondwanan times – most endemics are now thought to have swum or rafted over from other continents. It is also one of the most endangered turtles in the world.

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Taken at the San Diego Zoo by @Julio C Castro

Other species found in the survey:

Uncommon
Red-headed Amazon River Turtle (Podocnemis erythrocephala)

Rare
Big-headed Amazon River Turtle (Peltocephalus dumerilianus)
Savanna Side-necked Turtle (Podocnemis vogli) – only reported from one zoo recently, was held at a few other places earlier in the 2010’s
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Despite being officially listed by the IUCN as Least Concern, that determination was made in 1996 and since then it appears they are probably Critically Endangered.
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Not even; they were assessed in 1996 as 'Conservation Dependent', a category the IUCN no longer even use. In desperate need of a new assessment, like so many other freshwater turtles.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Family Podocnemididae

Our last family of side-necked turtles – 8 species in total, 7 of which are from tropical South America. The largest freshwater turtle that’s ever been discovered (now extinct) was a member of this group, and some of these turtles still carry that mammoth legacy today. 6 of the 8 species were found in the survey.

Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) – Very Common

Perhaps something of a sleeper hit, this unassuming river turtle is a decently-sized turtle with yellow spots adorning its head. Once exploited heavily for the pet trade, captive breeding has sustained the population more recently. It can be found in large and small zoos alike.

full

Taken at the Dallas World Aquarium by @Ituri

Arrau Turtle (Podocnemis expansa) – Prevalent to Common

Called by many other names (such as Giant Amazon River Turtle), these are the largest freshwater turtles in South America – and they are massive at up to 3.5 ft long and 200 lbs. They nest in large groups along Amazonian beaches; rather than abandoning their young (as many turtles do), the females will emit a call to bring the hatchlings to her for safety. They make other sounds to each other as well, a fascinating example of socialization among reptiles.

Despite being officially listed by the IUCN as Least Concern, that determination was made in 1996 and since then it appears they are probably Critically Endangered. While I don’t know if any US zoos have bred them, we appear to have at least 3x as many holders as Europe; hopefully that provides enough of a nucleus for future success.

full

Showing the size differential with a smaller turtle
Taken at Zoo Krefeld (Germany) by @vogelcommando

Madagascar Big-headed Turtle (Erymnochelys madagascariensis) – Uncommon

The only member of the family from outside South America, this is perhaps one of the few Malagasy vertebrates whose presence goes all the way back to pre-island Gondwanan times – most endemics are now thought to have swum or rafted over from other continents. It is also one of the most endangered turtles in the world.

full

Taken at the San Diego Zoo by @Julio C Castro

Other species found in the survey:

Uncommon
Red-headed Amazon River Turtle (Podocnemis erythrocephala)

Rare
Big-headed Amazon River Turtle (Peltocephalus dumerilianus)
Savanna Side-necked Turtle (Podocnemis vogli) – only reported from one zoo recently, was held at a few other places earlier in the 2010’s
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I honestly find it quite surprising that the AZA's Chelonian TAG hasn't decided to manage a single South American turtle species. With how many zoos display a South American turtle species (especially yellow-spotted and arrau), I'm certain there would be interest in captive breeding projects and/or an SSP for these species.

Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle is actually one of the turtle species I've seen in the most zoos, tied with both Spotted Turtles and Red-Eared Sliders. Granted, freshwater turtles aren't exactly common in New England zoos especially, so the sample size is small. Each of these three turtles I've seen in a total of five zoos (out of 31 visited).
 
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Swampy said:
Not even; they were assessed in 1996 as 'Conservation Dependent', a category the IUCN no longer even use. In desperate need of a new assessment, like so many other freshwater turtles.
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You're right, they were actually rated as "Lower Risk, Conservation Dependent" based on the ranking system used at that time (I got Lower Risk and Least Concern mixed up). I believe that would translate to Near Threatened now.

Weirdly, from the 1980's through the early 1990's the Arrau Turtle *was* classified as Endangered - perhaps evidence that this turtle has been at risk of extinction for quite a while now, and for some reason had the unfortunate luck of being downgraded right before never being reassessed for almost 30 years. I agree that it needs a new assessment; the IUCN page for Arrau Turtle is almost blank and it's maddening.

Neil chace said:
I honestly find it quite surprising that the AZA's Chelonian TAG hasn't decided to manage a single South American turtle species. With how many zoos display a South American turtle species (especially yellow-spotted and arrau), I'm certain there would be interest in captive breeding projects and/or an SSP for these species.
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This follows the same point I made before, about US zoos mostly prioritizing endangered turtles from a few specific regions (North America, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar). That doesn't mean that no zoos here are actively trying to breed or protect some of these South American species, though; it's just harder to discern what individual zoos might be doing themselves compared to an AZA-sponsored effort.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
That seems plausible to me. I'm guessing a lot of the live plants in indoor rainforests come from nurseries in Florida, it would be easy for some anoles to hitch a ride that way. Climate conditions indoors plus a good supply of wild bugs could then allow them to survive.

@Neil chace have those anoles been visible during your visits?
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Not to back-track this thread to far, but I figured some people might be interested. I managed to get a decent photo of one of the brown anoles in Rainforest Falls today:
Brown Anole

Brown Anole

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A number of these anoles live free-ranging in the Rainforest Falls building.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
the Ornate Flying Snake (C. ornata) and the Paradise Flying Snake (C. paradisi), both of which are only kept by 2-3 places each.
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I know this isn't exactly the purpose of the thread, but could you specify what facilities keep these species, as well as the two egg-eating snakes? Paradise flying snakes are at the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium and the California Academy of Sciences, but are there any other holders? I have the same question about ornate flying snakes, which I knew of only at the Brookfield Zoo, until now.

Coelacanth18 said:
Species:
Central African Egg-eating Snake (D. fasciata)
Gans’s Egg-eating Snake (D. gansi)

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Taken at the Drayton Manor Theme Park (UK) by @MagpieGoose
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Which species is in the picture?
 
Suborder Cryptodira

Now we move on to the larger turtle suborder, who can lower their necks and pull their heads straight back into the shell. This time I'm going to switch up the order from lizards and snakes, and hit on some of the smaller and more unique groups before tackling the three largest families.

Softshell Turtles

Named for their leathery, pliable shells that lack scutes (bony scales), these long-necked snorkel-snouted turtles look decidedly fictional, like a turtle-slug hybrid from The Last Airbender or an evolved beach flounder from The Future is Wild. Nevertheless, they are very much real and 8 species were found in the survey.

Family Trionychidae
Apalone – American Softshell Turtles

Three smaller species of softshell turtle, all native to the US and all found in the survey.

Spiny Softshell Turtle (A. spinifera) – Prevalent
Florida Softshell Turtle (A. ferox) – Prevalent
Smooth Softshell Turtle (A. mutica) – Rare

The Spiny Softshell Turtle is named for the little spiny horns on the shell behind its head, and is found throughout the river basins of America’s heartland. Florida Softshell Turtles are more limited in range (three guesses where), but are found in zoos and aquariums throughout the country. The Smooth Softshell Turtle is far less frequently seen in the wild, and in captivity I only found them at a small number of places in the Midwest.

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Spiny Softshell Turtle (A. spinifera) / Taken at the Sedgwick County Zoo by @DesertTortoise

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Florida Softshell Turtle (A. ferox) / Taken at the Tennessee Aquarium by @Astrotom3000

Chitra – Giant Asian Softshell Turtles

Some of the largest freshwater turtles on Earth at up to 5 ft long, these giant turtles are ambush predators. They bury themselves on sandy river and lake bottoms, catching food as it floats by. The best exhibits allow these turtles to both bury and swim as they desire. Three zoos in the US have these endangered turtles; Saint Louis and Columbus have the Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle (C. chitra) while the San Diego Zoo has Indian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle (C. indica).

Some fantastic news was shared about a year ago – the hatching of over 40 C. indica at San Diego. As one of my favorite turtles, I’m now optimistic about seeing these large unusual turtles well into the future.

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Indian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle (C. indica)
Taken at the San Diego Zoo by @Ding Lingwei

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Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle (C. chitra) buried in the sand
Taken at the Saint Louis Zoo by @birdsandbats

Other Trionychidae species in the survey (both Rare):

Nile Softshell Turtle (Trionyx triunguis)
Indian Flapshell Turtle (Lissemys punctata)

Family Carettochelyidae
Fly River Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) – Very Common

Related to the softshell turtles – but distinct in that they still have a bony domed carapace beneath their skin – this large turtle is also called the Pig-nosed Turtle due to its swine-like snout. Fly River Turtles are highly aquatic, possessing flippers like a sea turtle; most zoos here exhibit them with no land whatsoever. Native to the rivers of New Guinea and northern Australia, these endangered turtles are very rarely bred - probably due to high aggression between adults.

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Taken at the Los Angeles Zoo by @Julio C Castro
 
Coelacanth18 said:
look decidedly fictional, like a turtle-slug hybrid from The Last Airbender or an evolved beach flounder from The Future is Wild.
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It is, of course, the opposite - designers of fictional creatures for movies almost always use a real animal as a model. Surely, many Zoochatters could make a long list of movie monsters matched with real animals which were templates.
 
Family Cheloniidae – Sea Turtles

Famous for prompting a declaration of war on strawdrinkers, these gentle giants roam all temperate and tropical oceans of the planet in search of adventure… or food. Their tapered shells make them aquadynamic, so even for turtles they are quite adept at fast and smooth swimming. Most species grow to a length between 2 and 4 ft; the related Leatherback Turtle from family Dermochelyidae is the largest turtle on Earth, growing up to 6 ft long and weighing half a ton.

While there are sadly no giant jellyfish-eating Leatherbacks in captivity here, we do have 5 of the 6 other sea turtle species present in US zoos and aquariums. Many of these sea turtles are rescues, some of whom get released while those who can’t be live out their lives eating lettuce while humans gawk at them behind glass.

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) – Common

While most sea turtles are omnivorous, adult Greens are herbivores who can often be found feeding on seagrasses within shallow lagoons. Their name comes not from their body color – which is actually variable – but to the green fat underneath its carapace. They have rounded shells and smaller heads. Found throughout the world’s oceans – predominantly in tropical and subtropical waters – this species is unfortunately endangered due mainly to overharvesting for its meat, shell and other resources; this is a fate that pretty much all sea turtles face. This is the most common sea turtle in US aquariums.

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Taken at SeaWorld San Diego by @Ding Lingwei

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) – Prevalent

The largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles, Loggerheads will eat just about anything in the ocean that isn’t nailed down. They are found worldwide in the oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea, where they are more commonly seen than Green; perhaps this explains why Loggerhead and Green are at parity in European collections while here Loggerhead trails Green somewhat in holdings. Loggerheads generally have heart-shaped shells, large heads and notably pale bellies.

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Taken at The Deep (UK) by @Laughing Dove

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) – Prevalent

Probably the third most common sea turtle in captivity here (though it seems close with Loggerhead), this is the world’s rarest and smallest sea turtle. Also called the Atlantic Ridley, it is found primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and most breed at a single Mexican beach. At least hundreds were impacted by the BP oil spill in 2010.

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Taken at the Mote Marine Laboratory (Florida) by @SusScrofa

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) – Rare

Found in only a handful of US facilities, this warm-climate sea turtle can be told apart by its sharp curved beak and serrated shell edge. They feed primarily on sponges around lagoons and coral reefs; I’m not sure if this has any import to the captive population or their diet.

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Taken at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium by @TinoPup

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) – Rare

Also called the Pacific Ridley, this turtle is most commonly seen along the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America (though it ranges across much of the world). The only US holder is the Aquarium of the Pacific in California, which holds two individuals. It is somewhat ironic that Olive Ridley is the rarest sea turtle in captivity here, given that it has historically been considered the most abundant sea turtle in the wild.

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Taken at the Aquarium of the Pacific by @Coelacanth18
 
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Jurek7 said:
Out of interest, how many places in the USA allow their sea turtles to lay eggs? Is there any indoor tank / aquarium with a breeding beach?
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The only captive place I know of in the US where sea turtles have bred is SeaWorld San Diego, where eggs laid by females were successfully incubated and hatched in 2003 and 2009.

Many aquariums in the US actively work with local sea turtles, including protecting wild nests and taking in injured or cold-stunned turtles - including hatchlings. The Texas State Aquarium, for example, has taken in and eventually released hundreds of sea turtles. This rehabilitation along with protection of local wild nests seems to be the focus of zoological facilities here, rather than captive breeding.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Ranitomeya

Also called “thumbnail dart frogs”, these are the smallest poison dart frogs held in captivity at less than 1 inch long. Most are from the Amazon Basin. Ten species were found in the survey, none of which were particularly common. The Dallas World Aquarium - mentioned above as having one of the largest collections of poison dart frogs in the US - has the best national collection of Ranitomeya, with around 6 species or so on display.

Mimic Poison Dart Frog (Ranitomeya imitator) - Uncommon

The most common Ranitomeya in the survey, this Peruvian species is named for its survival strategy of mimicking the color and pattern of other Ranitomeya in its range.

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With a Dendrobates for size comparison / Taken at Los Angeles Zoo by @Julio C Castro

Blessed Poison Dart Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) - Uncommon

A vulnerable lowland Peruvian species with a distinctive red head and black robber mask.

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Taken at Bronx Zoo by @ThylacineAlive

Rare
Amazonian Poison Dart Frog (R. amazonica)
Red-headed Poison Dart Frog (R. fantastica)
Sira Poison Dart Frog (R.sirensis)
Summers’ Poison Dart Frog (R. summersi)
Brazilian Poison Dart Frog (R. vanzolinii)
Zimmerman’s Poison Dart Frog (R. variabilis)
Reticulated Poison Dart Frog (R. ventrimaculata)
Ranitomeya uakarii
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The Toledo Zoo has red-backed poison dart frogs. I am pretty sure they are in this genus.
 
wild boar said:
The Toledo Zoo has red-backed poison dart frogs. I am pretty sure they are in this genus.
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They are indeed - Ranitomeya reticulata. I also saw them at the Aquarium of the Pacific earlier this year, after I made that post. It seems I missed them from a 2022 species list for Toledo; I haven't seen any older references to them at other places here.
 
Family Chelydridae – Snapping Turtles

A family of two North American turtles with big attitudes.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) – Abundant

A mammoth of a turtle, this reptile from the Southeastern swamps almost resembles an ankylosaur more than its living cousins. This massive turtle is one of the largest in the world, growing up to 3 ft long and over 200 pounds. They possess a rough and ridged shell, a large powerful head, and a long thick tail. An ambush carnivore, it uses a worm-shaped tongue to lure animals into its gaping maw. Their jaws can snap through broom handles and human fingers; as such, they are incredibly popular in zoos and aquariums across the US (though most can be found in the east) and are one of the most commonly seen captive turtles here.

A second species, the Suwannee snapping turtle (M. suwanniensis) – found only in one river basin of Florida and Georgia – was described as a separate species in 2014. I don’t know if any captive individuals are from this population.

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Taken at Reptilia (Canada) by @StellarChaser

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Taken at the Tennessee Aquarium by @ThylacineAlive

Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) – Common to Very Common

Often overshadowed by its larger cousin, the smaller Common Snapper is much more widespread in the wild; while Alligator Snappers are mostly limited to the warm swamps and rivers of the Southeast, C. serpentina is found north to Canada and west to Colorado. Their incredible cold tolerance allows them to colonize these far northern and inland regions, where they often remain active under ice rather than hibernating. While not massive it is still a fairly large turtle for North America, with a carapace 1 to 1.5 ft long. They can stretch their neck across their shell on just about any side, an unfortunate fact to be discovered by many Americans who have made the mistake of picking one up.

This is a fairly common captive turtle in the eastern half of the country and can be found in many zoos, aquariums and nature centers.

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Taken at the Toronto Zoo by @StellarChaser

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Taken at the Anchorage Museum (Alaska) by @Pleistohorse
 
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Antimony96 said:
A little surprised that common snapping turtles didn't hit Very Common.
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Honestly it wouldn't be inaccurate to count it as Very Common - it definitely tops 30 holders if you include nature centers, science museums, etc. I didn't adjust the survey results for that species (not for any specific reason, just forgot) so the Common status reflects its presence more so in major zoos and aquariums (where they aren't necessarily rare, but nowhere near as ubiquitous as Alligator Snapper).
 
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