A Red-eared Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, makes its way to the summit of a baffle block in the Oologah Dam Main Spillway near Oologah, Okla., Sept. 11, 2026. The turtle climbed the baffle blocks to catch the sun's rays. The baffle blocks and concrete slab are being repaired and new concrete and rebar will be added. After more than 50 years of enduring the force of water and the eroding effects of sediment in those releases, the concrete slab and baffles are being repaired. Baffles absorb the force of water releases to prevent erosion beneath the dam. 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 09:52 |
| Photo ID: | 9937480 |
| VIRIN: | 260911-A-PO406-4510 |
| Resolution: | 1500x1500 |
| Size: | 772.26 KB |
| Location: | TULSA, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The tunnel at the end of the light [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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