4-H Tidelands Nature Center: Exhibit Area

Reptile and Bird Display

Our reptile display area and birding corner features a young alligator, several species of snakes and turtles including yellow-bellied sliders, a snapping turtle, gopher tortoise, and box turtles! You will also find our new birding corner featuring photos and an interactive computer kiosk to help visitors identify coastal Georgia birds!

Alligator - The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is one of only two alligator species in the world today. (The other is the highly endangered Chinese alligator). Once common throughout the Southeast, the American alligator was hunted nearly to extinction. It was protected by federal law in 1967, and populations of this ancient reptile have now fully recovered.	Birding corner - Our new Tidelands birding corner features colorful bird photos, donated by local photographer Debbie Mumford, and an interactive computer kiosk to help visitors identify their coastal bird sigthings. Visitors can test their birding expertise by taking the audio-visual birding ID quizzes!
Snapping Turtle - The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is one of many freshwater turtles that inhabit the ponds and sloughs of Jekyll Island. These turtles can grow to 85 lbs. They have powerful jaws and sharp beaks, which they use to eat plants, fish, frogs, insects, snakes, and even dead animals.	Corn Snake - Of the more than 40 species of snakes native to georgia, the corn snake (Elaphe guttata) is one of the most beautiful. These non-venemous snakes are named for the maize-like pattern of black-and-white scales on their undersides. They eat mice and other small rodents. Did you know: It is illegal to kill, capture or harrass any non-venomous snake in the state of Georgia.