CHEW ON THIS:
- The Florida softshell is a large turtle with a long, tubular snout and a smooth, flat, leathery carapace. The carapace has some solid bone underlying its center but is soft and pliable toward the edges. This helps make the turtle a very fast swimmer.
- Females are larger than males – with a 24 inch carapace compared to 14 inches for an adult male.
- The turtles are prized for their meat, and this has led to a decline in their numbers in Florida.