Alternative Text Description for Alligator Snapping Turtle (Proposed Threatened)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the range boundary for the Alligator Snapping Turtle as designated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The species is proposed for listing as threatened. The map shows a single polygonal area representing where this species is understood to occur within the state, providing a geographic reference for the species' habitat distribution.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map shows the Florida Panhandle region, extending from the Alabama border in the west to approximately the Big Bend area in the east. Major cities labeled on the map include Pensacola and Ferry Pass in the western portion, Panama City and Lynn Haven in the central coastal area, and Tallahassee in the eastern section. The northern boundary includes cities such as Montgomery, Auburn, Columbus, Enterprise, Dothan, and Albany, which are located in neighboring states. The southern portion of the map shows the Gulf of America coastline. Counties visible include Andalusia and Enterprise in the northern interior region.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Alligator Snapping Turtle range forms a continuous band across the entire Florida Panhandle region. The species range extends along the Gulf of America coastal zone and inland to approximately the state border area. The distribution shows the species occupies both coastal and interior portions of the Panhandle, with the range spanning from the westernmost edge of Florida near Pensacola eastward to the Tallahassee region and the Big Bend coastal area. There are no apparent gaps or isolated patches within this range polygon, indicating a continuous habitat area across this portion of the state.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Alligator Snapping Turtle (Proposed Threatened)

This layer represents the geographic range of the Alligator Snapping Turtle species as defined by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alligator Snapping Turtle Range Area (pink crosshatched polygon)

Appearance:

The range is depicted as a pink-colored area with a crosshatch pattern, creating a semi-transparent fill that allows base map features to remain visible beneath.

Distribution:

The species range covers the entire Florida Panhandle, forming a horizontal band that spans from the western state boundary to approximately the Big Bend region in the east.

Notable locations:

The range encompasses coastal cities including Pensacola, Panama City, Lynn Haven, and Tallahassee. The northern boundary roughly follows the Florida-Alabama and Florida-Georgia state lines. The southern boundary follows the Gulf of America coastline with irregular indentations around bays and coastal features.

Spatial patterns:

The range forms a continuous east-west corridor across the Panhandle. The polygon extends both along the immediate coastal zone and well inland, covering approximately the entire width of the Panhandle from north to south. The range boundary follows natural geographic features along the coast and appears to follow watershed or ecological boundaries in the interior portions.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents species range data maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The range polygon shows where the species is understood to occur and is used for conservation planning and regulatory purposes. The "proposed threatened" designation indicates the species is under consideration for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. This map focuses on the Florida Panhandle portion of the species' range and does not show potential range areas in other states or portions of Florida outside the mapped extent.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

United States Fish and Wildlife Service species boundary data for the State of Florida. The dataset contains polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the agency.

Definition Query:

The map displays only the Alligator Snapping Turtle species, filtered using the criteria COMNAME equals "ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE" from the dataset CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional-scale view appropriate for understanding the overall species range across the Florida Panhandle. The scale is suitable for strategic conservation planning and broad habitat assessment rather than site-specific analysis.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

Range boundaries represent the agency's understanding of where species occur and may not reflect fine-scale habitat variations or local absences within the mapped area. The range polygon indicates general occurrence rather than uniform presence throughout the entire area. Site-specific surveys may be needed to confirm species presence at particular locations within the mapped range.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the Florida Panhandle from the western state boundary near Pensacola eastward to approximately Tallahassee and the Big Bend coastal region. The northern extent includes portions of Alabama and Georgia shown for geographic context. The southern boundary is defined by the Gulf of America coastline.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.