An Eastern River Cooter Encounter & Name Origin

Leaving the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma a couple of days ago (March 16, 2024), I had an interesting encounter on the auto tour road. In an area with water on both sides, I spotted an Eastern River Cooter making its way across!

Eastern River Cooter Crossing Road
Eastern River Cooter Crossing Road

As some of you may remember from a previous post (Eastern River Cooter), females of this species are known to travel across roads in search of nesting sites. While I can’t say for certain if this was the case here, it did make me curious.

I pulled over and got a few pictures of this determined turtle on its journey.

This encounter also got me thinking about the origins of the name “Cooter.” While I delved into some interesting facts about the Eastern River Cooter in that previous post, the name’s etymology remained a mystery.

A little research later, I discovered that the Eastern River Cooter (scientifically known as Pseudemys concinna concinna) gets its name from the African word “kuta.” This word, meaning “turtle” in the Bambara and Malinké languages, was brought to America by enslaved Africans. Over time, “kuta” evolved into “cooter,” becoming the common name for this freshwater turtle species.

Who knew such a common name held such a rich history? It just goes to show, there’s always something new to learn about the natural world around us. Keep your eyes peeled next time you’re out exploring – you might just discover something fascinating!

2 thoughts on “An Eastern River Cooter Encounter & Name Origin”

  1. I didn’t realize any turtles in our area were called cooters… When we go to FLorida and happen to take boat tours, the guide always points out “cooter” turtles… I assumed they were only in that area..Thanks for the info.. I think I am also able to tell them apart from a red ear slider due to their shell shape.and head..

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