Photo: New Turtle Species Discovered

Photo By: Cris Hagan / USGS

USGS scientists Josh Ennen and Jeff Lovich discovered the tiny turtle –– it's no bigger than a small dinner plate. “We don’t know as much as we sometimes think we do,” said Ennen. “When people think about discovery and new species, they think of rainforests, or unexplored and isolated countries. Coming from southern Mississippi, I basically found this turtle in my own backyard.”

The Pearl River map turtle can be found only in the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi. The discovery of this turtle is exciting to scientists and other nature lovers in the U.S., as it brings the native turtle species to 57.

Try making some discoveries in your own backyard with our 16 Summer Citizen Science Projects for Kids and Families.

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