I.D. Features:

Toronto Zoo. Adopt-a-Pond
Toronto Zoo. Adopt-a-Pond. Sttaus: Special Concern

  • Carapace (upper-shell) is green to olive-brown
  • Carapace has thin brown-yellow lines that are patterned and look like a "map"
  • Carapace is noted to have a thin ridge running along the centre from head to tail (a painted turtle will not have this ridge)
  • Often bigger than a painted turtle and no red colouring on its neck
  • Similar to the painted turtle
  • Small yellow spot is found behind its eye

Habitat Features:

  • Likes slow moving wide rivers, large ponds, and lakes with muddy bottoms and lots of vegetation
  • Found mostly in the western extent of The Land Between region
  • Shy
  • Active during the day
  • Likes to eat clams, snails, crayfish, molluscs, plants and fishes

Range in in The Land Between (Ontario Nature Reptile Atlas): Map turtle range ON