List of reptiles of the Indiana Dunes facts for kids

Indiana Dunes National Park is a special place on the shore of Lake Michigan in Indiana, United States. It's a national park, which means it's protected by the National Park Service.

In 2009, something cool called a BioBlitz happened there on May 15 and 16. A BioBlitz is like a big scavenger hunt where scientists and volunteers try to find and list as many living things as possible in a certain area over a short time. During this event, they made a list of all the different animals and plants they found. This included a first look at the reptiles living in the park.

Reptiles of Indiana Dunes National Park

Reptiles are amazing cold-blooded animals. They have scales and usually lay eggs. At Indiana Dunes National Park, you can find several types of reptiles, including turtles, lizards, and snakes.

Turtles

Turtles are known for their hard shells that protect them from danger. They can live in water or on land. Here are some turtles found at Indiana Dunes:

• Chelydra serpentina serpentina - This is the common snapping turtle. They are known for their strong jaws and long tails.
• Chrysemys picta marginata - You might see the painted turtle. They have colorful markings on their shells and skin.
• Emydoidea blandingi - This is the Blanding's turtle. They have a bright yellow chin and throat.
• Pseudemys scripta elegans - This turtle is a type of cooter.
• Sternotherus odoratus - This small turtle is called the common musk turtle. They can release a musky smell when they feel threatened.

Lizards

Lizards are reptiles that often have long bodies, four legs, and a tail. They can be very quick! Here are some lizards found in the park:

• Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis - This quick lizard is the prairie racerunner. They are very fast and hard to catch.
• Plestiodon fasciatus - You might spot a five-lined skink. Young ones have bright blue tails.
• Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus - This interesting reptile is the slender glass lizard. It looks like a snake but is actually a legless lizard! It can even break off its tail if needed, just like some other lizards.

Snakes

Snakes are reptiles without legs. They move by slithering and can be found in many different habitats. It's always best to observe snakes from a safe distance. Here are some snakes found at Indiana Dunes:

• Coluber constrictor flaviventris - This is the eastern racer. They are fast, non-venomous snakes.
• Heterodon platyrhinos - The eastern hognose snake is known for its upturned snout. It might even play dead when scared!
• Lampropeltis triangulum - This colorful snake is the milk snake. It often has patterns of red, black, and yellow or white.
• Nerodia sipedon sipedon - You might see the common watersnake near water. They are good swimmers and eat fish and frogs.
• Storeria dekayi wrightorum - This small snake is the midland brown snake. They are usually found in gardens and forests.
• Thamnophis proximus - The western ribbon snake is long and slender, often found near water.
• Thamnophis sirtalis - This is the common garter snake. They are one of the most common snakes in North America.
• Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis - This is a specific type of garter snake, the eastern garter snake.
• Thamnophis radix radix - This garter snake is known as the eastern plains garter snake.