Franco Banfi / Freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta venusta) swimming amongst Water lilies leaves, Gran Cenote, near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Alex Mustard / Suwanee freshwater turtle (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis) swimming beneath trees in a freshwater spring. Devil Spring, Ginnie Springs, High Springs, Florida, USA

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Jose B. Ruiz / Red eared turtle {Pseudemys scripta elegans} at waters edge, Moralet, Alicante, Spain

Doug Wechsler / Red bellied turtle male sunning {Pseudemys rubriventris} New Jersey, USA

Doug Wechsler / Florida red bellied turtle {Pseudemys nelsoni}basking & stretching, Big Cypress NP FloridA

David Welling / Red eared turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans) USA. captive, most widely kept pet turtle

Rolf Nussbaumer / Red eared turtle / slider portrait {Pseudemys scripta elegans} Texas, USA.

Cyril Ruoso / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) and Grass snake (Natrix natrix) basking on log. Seine et Marne, Ile-de-France. May.

George Sanker / Florida red-bellied cooter turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) feeding on Water lily (Nymphaeaceae) flower. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

George Sanker / Florida red-bellied cooter turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) feeding on Water lily (Nymphaeaceae) flower. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

George Sanker / Florida red-bellied cooter turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) feeding on Water lily (Nymphaeaceae) flower. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. March.

Franco Banfi / Freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta venusta) swimming under Water lilies leaves, Gran Cenote, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Franco Banfi / Freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta venusta) swimming in Gran Cenote, near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Franco Banfi / Freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta venusta) swimming in Gran Cenote, near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

David Perpinan / Phallus/penile prolapse in a captive Yellow bellied slider (Trachemys scripta). Small repro only

David Perpinan / Radiography of a captive female red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) showing eggs within the uterus. Captive animal. Small repro only

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) in blue-green algae (Woronichinia naegeliana). Microcystin produced is toxic to wildlife and humans. Maryland. October 2018.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris), Maryland, USA. May.

John Cancalosi / Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) with Red-eared sliders (Pseudemys rubriventris) and River cooter (Pseudemys concinna) and Bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus), Maryland, USA, June.

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a Suwanee cooter (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis) in a freshwater spring. Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park, High Springs, Florida, USA

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a Suwanee cooter (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis) in a freshwater spring. Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park, High Springs, Florida, USA

Alex Mustard / Suwanee freshwater turtle (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis) swimming beneath trees in a freshwater spring. Devil Spring, Ginnie Springs, High Springs, Florida, USA

Alex Mustard / Suwanee freshwater turtle (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis) swimming beneath trees in a freshwater spring. Devil Spring, Ginnie Springs, High Springs, Florida, USA

Alex Mustard / Freshwater terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) in a garden pond. Dauin, Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA. May.

Doug Wechsler / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) and Painted turtle (Chrysemy picata) basking on log, Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, April.

Michel Roggo / Florida red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida, USA. March 2011. Photographed for The Freshwater Project

Tony Wu / Red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) invasive species, probably introduced through the pet trade, Kanagawa, Japan, April.

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider, (Trachemys scripta) in water, old melanistic individual, Maryland, USA, August.

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider, (Trachemys scripta) in water, old melanistic individual, Maryland, USA, August.

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider, (Trachemys scripta), Maryland, USA, May.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA.April.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland,USA, April.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA, April.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA, May.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA, May.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA, April.

John Cancalosi / Northern red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) basking, Maryland, USA, April.

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) in rain, Louisiana, USA.

John Cancalosi / Painted turtle (Chrysemys scripta) eating algae off the carapace of a Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) Maryland, USA, August.

Laurent Geslin / Red eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Strasbourg, France, June.

Laurent Geslin / Red eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) in urban park, Grenoble, France, April.

Cyril Ruoso / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) close up portrait, South Texas, USA, April.

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) Laredo Borderlands, Texas, USA. April

Claudio Contreras / Red-eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) Laredo Borderlands, Texas, USA. April

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, with algae on shell, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Mesoamerican slider turtle / terrapin (Trachemys scripta venusta) in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Virginia, USA, June.

George Sanker / Florida cooter (Pseudemys concinna floridana) looking at Spatterdock waterlily (Nuphar advena), Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March.

Scott Leslie / Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna), North Carolina

Pascal Kobeh / Mesoamerican Slider (Trachemys scripta venusta) hiding in the plants at the surface of the cenote, Car Wash Cenote / Aktun Ha, Mexico. Yucatan peninsula.

Michel Roggo / Florida Red-bellied Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida, USA, March. Taken for the Freshwater Project.

George Sanker / Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) taking over Florida Red-bellied Turtle's (Pseudemys nelsoni) sunning spot on a log. Hillsborough River State Park, Florida, USA.

John Cancalosi / Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) female laying eggs, Louisiana, USA, May.

John Cancalosi / Eastern river cooter (Pseudemys concinna concinna) Louisiana, USA, July.

MYN / Seth Patterson / Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) juvenile viewed from above, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Cameron County, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America, North America, September. Meety...

MYN / Seth Patterson / Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) juvenile viewed from above, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Cameron County, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America, North America, September. Meety...

MYN / Seth Patterson / Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) juvenile portrait, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Cameron County, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America, North America, September. Meetyourneighb...

MYN / Seth Patterson / Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) juvenile portrait, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Cameron County, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America, North America, September. Meetyourneighb...

MYN / Seth Patterson / Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) juvenile profile, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Cameron County, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America, North America, September. Meetyourneighbo...

Alex Mustard / Florida red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni) swims over a riverbed. Crystal River, Florida, United States of America.

Aflo / Red eared terrapin / Red eared slider (Trachemys scripta) sitting on rock in pond in the rain, Kiyose, Tokyo, Kanto Region, Japan, June

Juan Carlos Munoz / Florida red-bellied cooter / Florida redbelly turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni). Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.

Eric Baccega / Two Red-eared slider / turtle, one on the other one (Trachemys scripta elegans) captive, Alsace, France

Eric Baccega / Red-eared slider / turtle basking on submerged branch (Trachemys scripta elegans) captive, Alsace, France

Eric Baccega / Red-eared slider / turtle basking on submerged branch (Trachemys scripta elegans) captive, Alsace, France

Eric Baccega / Red-eared slider / turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) basking on submerged branch one with mouth open, captive, Alsace, France

Eric Baccega / Red-eared slider / turtle basking on submerged branch (Trachemys scripta elegans) Captive, Alsace, France

George Sanker / American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) resting head on Red bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) Florida, USA

Rolf Nussbaumer / Red-eared slider / turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) two adults basking in sun on a log, Dinero, Lake Corpus Christi, South Texas, USA.

Konrad Wothe / Peninsula Cooter (Pseudemys floridana peninsularis) captive

Robin Chittenden / Red-eared terrapin (Trachemys / Pseudemys scripta) entering the water after sunning on rock, Kos, Greece. May

George Sanker / American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) climbing over a Florida red bellied turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) on branch in water, Hillsborough River, Florida, USA, Spring

Barry Mansell / Florida cooter (Pseudemys floridana floridana) laying eggs, North Florida, USA

Barry Mansell / Tropical Slider (Trachemys ornata) basking on log, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Scott Leslie / Florida Red-bellied Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) pair sunbathing on rock, Florida

Dave Bevan / Red-eared terrapin / turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans) underwater, Captive.

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtles (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of their eggs, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Kerstin Hinze / Red-eared Turtle (Psuedemys / Trachemys scripta elegans) hatching out of its egg, captive

Edwin Giesbers / Red eared turtle / slider (Trachemys / Pseudemys scripta elegans), Costa Rica

Steven David Miller / American alligator resting head on Red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) Florida, USA