A Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, basks in the sun on top of a baffle block in the Oologah Dam Main Spillway near Oologah, Okla., Sept. 11, 2026. Oologah Dam's main spillway stilling basin is being repaired after enduring more than 50 years of water releases. Baffle blocks slow water in the stilling basin to prevent erosion during water releases. Over time, the force of the water and the sediment within the water wear down concrete and cause damage. Red-eared Sliders are among the most common and recognizable aquatic turtles in Oklahoma and across North America, they typically live upwards of 20 to 30 years in the wild and feature a dark green-to-olive carapace with yellow stripes running along their head, neck, and limbs. Their defining feature is the bright red-to-orange stripe located right behind each eye. Adult males typically grow from 6 to 12 inches in length and females often grow larger. Cold blooded, the turtles are opportunistic hunters of the sun's rays and seek out the best spots to absorb ultraviolet light, regulate their body temperature and digest food. (U.S. Army photo by Brannen Parrish)
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2026 09:58 |
| Photo ID: | 9937473 |
| VIRIN: | 260911-A-PO406-4509 |
| Resolution: | 1500x1500 |
| Size: | 780.71 KB |
| Location: | TULSA, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Turtle Power [Image 5 of 5], by Brannen Parrish, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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