This is a vulnerable time for turtles, not only because they are using less oxygen, but because their immune systems are also "on low" , and because, while they may need less oxygen, they still need consistent and reliable supplies of oxygen to stay alive through the winter. For these reasons, turtles often choose smaller wetlands or lakes where the water is filtered by lots of vegetation and where water levels are stable. These sites can be the most unremarkable areas and areas we least expect turtles to have chosen, but yet each site is extremely important to the survival of turtles- Also because turtles are loyal to their winter sites and return to within 1 metre of where they did the year before. Therefore, turtles cannot be "relocated" to new sites easily or at all, because adult turtles cannot readily make new memories of routes and places. If they are moved or if their chosen-wetland sites are lost, turtles are unlikely to survive away from their natural-given areas and territories. The entire process, rhythm and cycle of how turtles navigate and survive, is a testament to the many miracles that happen in a turtle's life. Read more about the amazing processes that happen in winter, by reading our article
A Day in the Life of a Turtle Guardian Field Technician