SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — Diamondback terrapins, the tiny, adorable marsh-dwelling turtles that are native to the South Carolina coast, are beginning to emerge on the coast as the weather warms.
The only turtles in the world that spend their entire lives in waterways and inlets, diamondback terrapins are now emerging from their winter nests in marshes and dunes on the SC coast.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), diamondback terrapins are "listed as a high priority Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in South Carolina under the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)."
South Carolina state law prohibited the commercial harvest of diamondback terrapins in 2006, and biologists rely on people's observations to document and study these fragile little species.
SCDNR is asking for the public to help biologists monitor and study diamondback terrapins by reporting any sightings of these unique species.
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