I had assumed these were all Yellow-bellied Sliders but maybe the two on the left in this first image are not–there wasn’t a bit of yellow to be seen.
Research tells me there is some variation, and also some interbreeding with other species.
This was a cooler day, I had gloves on, and I was surprised to see them out at all.
The Old Santee Canal Park, Moncks Corner, SC
December 4, 2025
I took one more step to get a better angle of these four Yellow-bellied Sliders and in a blink of the eye they slid below the duckweed covered surface.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
June 16, 2025
I thought the Alligator on the left might join the pile while I watched, but he seemed content to float. The Yellow-bellied Slider and Alligators piled up were content with their spots, too.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 25, 2025
…and showing off his teeth.
Alligators will crawl out of the water and just plop down about anywhere, seemingly without a plan, even wound around some cypress knees.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you that Alligators aren’t active in the winter. It was a warm day, feeling like spring but still the middle of winter.
He just laid there as I was watching this pile of Yellow-bellied Sliders.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 1, 2023
Or
Going…
…going…
…gone.
Ravenswood Pond, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023
I was a bit surprised to see these Yellow-bellied Sliders out of the water. It was warm compared to the near freezing temps we had been having, but they were not in the sun.
Another pair was on a nearby clump of…something. I didn’t see the one in the water until looking at the images on the computer.
Ravenswood Pond, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 9, 2023
This spot is a favorite for alligators and turtles, and at certain times of the year the light is perfect for reflections. I see parts of four Alligators and two Turtles, one facing the camera and one away, tucked under the left most Alligator.
I was focusing on the draped Alligator arm and didn’t see the turtle peeking up over the top until I was processing my photos.
The last photo was taken about 90 minutes later, the sun had just gone down so not much light. There hadn’t been much movement in the pile.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 12, 2022
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
October 24, 2022
A sunny December day brought out a turtle.
A long-ago started post that I neglected to finish. Notice how very blue the sky was in December, not this humid distorted blah we are having now.
I usually see Yellow-bellied Sliders either in a pond or basking on a bank. This may be the first time I’d seen one walk across a field.
I did some identification research and was surprised to discover nearly 30 species of turtles can be found in South Carolina.
Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Cuddo Unit
