Western pond turtles are aquatic animals with a dark brown or olive-colored carapace that lacks prominent markings. Mostly aquatic they move to upland areas for egg laying. They over winter in underground burrows in upland habitats. In the warmer months the pond turtle will bask on rocks and logs near slow-moving streams. Man has precipitated their decline due to disturbance of upland nesting habitat, overharvesting (by the now banned terrapin soup industry), by agriculture, livestock grazing, and development.
Ten Facts about Western Pond Turtle
- Growing to approximately 20 cm (8 in) in carapace length.
- Pond Turtles are in the Willamette Valley north of Eugene, Oregon, but abundance increases south of that city where temperatures are higher.
- Western Pond Turtles are omnivorous and most of their animal diet includes insects, crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates.
- Females produce 5-13 eggs per clutch. They deposit eggs either once or twice a year.
- Age of sexual maturity is 10-12 years.
- Adult turtles may survive more than 30 years in the wild.
- Valley locations with slow-moving waterways. Upland habitat and basking sites must be easily accessible.
- Western Pond Turtles will rapidly dive off basking sites when approached by a human, even at distances of over 50 m.
- Predators of young includes, snakes, frogs, foxes, alligators.
- The nest is flask-shaped with an opening of about 5 cm (2 in).
