May 29, 2018 – For thousands of years these magnificence creatures have a had a place in the life and lore of the ancients. Their image hammered in stone, shaped ground and smoothed from slate and constructed into large effigy mounds by the great mound builders, the turtle is a powerful spirit animal with significant symbolism. Recently at the edge of the Kankakee river a Spiny Softshell turtle momentarily stood like a statue stretching its’ neck and raising its’ head trying to determine where those clicking sounds were coming from as my cameras shutter fired. Giving a rare close look at those spines, from which the turtle gets its’ name, they are visible on the front top edge of the shell behind the head. The Spiny Softshell turtle is common in our area and is often seen along the river bank, creeks or ponds edge basking on a log with other species of turtles. These long-snouted, surprisingly agile and extremely wary Spiny Softshell turtles can grow up to 17 inches, the female being the larger of the two. They reach sexual maturity between and 8 and 10 and can live over 50 years.