Yellow-bellied slider: No pedicure required at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
If you’re a turtle, what can you do with a long set of claws? Digging, defending, mating, eating and sheltering.
If you’ve never before noticed the length of some turtles’ claws, look at these! This yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta) on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge uses its claws for all the previously mentioned purposes and more, according to USFWS.
“Some turtle species have a ritual mating ‘dance’ in the water that involves the male stroking the female’s face with his claws and then vibrating the long claws. I guess you’d have to be a turtle to understand why that would be attractive,” notes USFWS.
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