Author and herpetologist Carl J. Franklin is the curator of the Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center at the University of Texas at Arlington . His writings on turtles and other herpetological subjects have appeared in both popular and technical publications. A boundless enthusiast, Carl spends an inordinate amount of time in the field collecting specimens from the United States , Mexico , and Central and South America . He lives in Grand Prairie , Texas , with his wife, son, dogs, and turtles.