Turtles in New Mexico

Despite popular belief, New Mexico isn’t an utterly arid landscape that is only home to the Desert Tortoise but also has several diverse environments. There are several river systems like the Pecos, San Juan, and Canadian Rivers where freshwater turtles like the Common Snapping Turtle, the Rio Grande Cooter, and the Big Bend Slider live.

Types of Turtles Found in New Mexico

Snapping Turtles (Chelydridae)

• Common Snapping Turtle

Emydid Turtles (Emydidae)

Painted Turtles

• Western Painted Turtle

Cooters

• Rio Grande Cooter

Box Turtles

• Desert Box Turtle
• Ornate Box Turtle

Sliders

• Red-eared Slider
• Big Bend Slider
• Pond Slider

Mud and Musk Turtles (Kinosternidae)

• Sonora Mud Turtle
• Yellow Mud Turtle

Softshell Turtles (Trionychidae)

• Midland Smooth Softshell
• Eastern Spiny Softshell
• Texas Spiny Softshell
• Western Spiny Softshell

Tortoises (Testudinidae)

• Desert Tortoise

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