Throughout Hicatee Awareness Month, every Tuesday, we’ll be highlighting one of the Belizean turtles featured in the Hicatee & Friends coloring book, created by our partners, the Belize Foundation for Research & Environmental Education (BFREE), to raise awareness on the plight of Belize’s native turtle species in need of conservation action.
On this special Turtle Tuesday, which also happens to be National Reptile Awareness Day, meet the White-lipped Mud Turtle (Kinosternon leucostomum leucostomum)!
This aptly named turtle gets its name from its distinctive cream-colored beak. Found throughout parts of Central and northern South America, it prefers habitats near creeks, rivers, puddles, and swamps—perfect spots to hunt for prey like fish, crayfish, tadpoles, and mollusks. In addition to animal prey, White-lipped Mud Turtles also feed on plants such as ficus shoots and flowers.
The greatest threats to this species include habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation, as well as collection for local consumption and the pet trade. By spreading awareness about the challenges this turtle—and others like it—face, and by protecting natural habitats, we can help ensure their survival.
Celebrate Hicatee Awareness Month with us by following us across our social platforms, following BFREE, and downloading the coloring book to learn more about Belize’s imperiled species.
Header image by Jay Ballard
