- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold slider turtle, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the slider turtle
The pond slider is a common, medium-sized, semiaquatic turtle native to the south-central and south-eastern United States and northern Mexico. Its best-known form is the red-eared slider. Hatchlings have a green shell and green and yellow striped skin, but the colours fade with age to a muted olive green or brown, and some adults become almost black. Males have much longer front claws than females. The name comes from the way groups basking on logs scramble and slide into the water when startled. Lifespans range from 20 to 50 years.
Slider Turtle facts
- The name slider comes from how basking turtles shoot back into the water at any sign of danger.
- Since 2016 it has been on the European Union list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern.
- In the 1950s, millions of these turtles were farmed and shipped abroad for the pet trade.
- Adult males have much longer front claws than adult females.
Where to see slider turtle in the U.S.
5 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding slider turtle by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds slider turtle but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
Georgia· 1
Massachusetts· 2
New York· 1
North Carolina· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
