Painted Turtle

Painted Turtle The habitats occupied by this turtle are the same locations favoured for human settlement. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks mortality are added to natural losses, What do they look like? turtle populations usually decline. ainted Turtles (Chrysemys picta) are This combination of factors has placed often visible on warm days, swim- the Painted Turtle at risk in British ming in shallow water or basking on Why are Painted Turtles Columbia. P logs along the lakeshore. As the only at risk? native freshwater turtle in British he Painted Turtle faces many threats What is their status? Columbia, this species is unlikely to be within its limited range in southern he Painted Turtle is the most wide- confused with any other animal, except British Columbia. Furthermore, the ly distributed of the 49 turtle introduced species, such as the Red- T specific habitat it requires – wetlands species in North America.Although eared Slider Turtle, that have been and ponds for hiding and foraging, adja- T local populations have been thoughtlessly released by pet owners. cent to upland areas with soils suitable reduced by land development across its The characteristic feature of all tur- for nesting – is found in very few places range, it is abundant in many areas in tles is their protective bony shell, within that range. the United States. The British Columbia which encloses most of the body. The Alteration or destruction of its population is small because our shell has three parts: the domed cara- habitat is probably the main threat province is at the northern edge of its pace on the back; the flat plastron on faced by the Painted Turtle in British range and provides little habitat that is the underside; and the bridges, which Columbia. The wetlands favoured by suitable for this specialised animal. connect the two shells. In Painted Tur- this reptile are almost all in valleys or The number of Painted Turtles in tles, the carapace is slightly longer lowlands in the southern part of the British Columbia is not known. De- than it is wide. Turtle shells are cov- province, the same locations favoured tailed surveys have been done in only ered with thin, horny scutes, which for human habitation. Particularly in one area – Kikomun Creek Provincial give the turtle its characteristic colour. past years, many wetlands, ponds and Park beside Lake Koocanusa in the The scutes are shed and re-grown each sluggish channels were drained, filled East Kootenay Region – where re- summer. Many scutes often collect at or modified to meet human needs. searchers estimate there are 800 to favoured basking sites where the tur- Uplands around many wetlands have 900 turtles. That area may have the tles dry their shells in the hot mid- been developed, leaving little or no best Painted Turtle habitat in the summer sun to get rid of algae and nesting habitat. province, so num- promote shedding. Turtles possess no Living in areas of human bers in other loca- teeth and rely on a sharp, horny beak development also poses other The Painted tions are most likely for chewing. The hind feet are webbed threats for these turtles, includ- lower. The provincial and are the main source of propulsion ing traffic mortality on roads Turtle is population probably when swimming. located beside wetlands, distur- the only numbers in the low The standard measurement of the bance of basking or nesting tur- thousands, but bet- length of a turtle is its plastron length. tles by the public, trampling of native ter information is In British Columbia, adult male Paint- their nests and the illegal capture freshwater needed. ed Turtles have plastron lengths of 9 to of turtles for pets. In view of its 17 centimetres; females are bigger and Painted Turtles have numer- turtle in localised occurrence their plastrons may be up to 22 cm ous natural enemies in the British and threats to its habi- long. With head and tail extended, the wild. Because many of their tat, the Painted Turtle total body length is increased by about nests are dug up by egg preda- Columbia. has been placed on 50 percent. Males rarely weight over tors, such as Coyotes, Badgers, British Columbia’s 800 grams, but females may reach skunks or ground squirrels, Blue List. This list 1400 g. few young turtles are produced each identifies species that are believed to be This is one of the most colourful year. Under natural conditions this vulnerable to further declines in abun- turtles, as its name suggests. Yellow low level of recruitment is enough to dance. Like most native wildlife species stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, maintain the population, since adults in British Columbia, the Painted Turtle and irregularly shaped, bright red have lower death rates and may live is protected against harassment, killing markings around the edges of the 20 or 30 years. But when habitat or possession under the provincial plastron and under the rim of the destruction and human-caused Wildlife Act. carapace stand out vividly against its generally black to greenish back. Male Only one clutch is produced each year. Females that are ready to lay their and female Painted Turtles have gen- Females breed throughout their life, eggs gather along the water’s edge at erally similar colouring. Males some- although some individuals probably do dusk, scanning for predators or other times have dark worm-like markings not breed every year. Painted Turtles are danger, and may approach land sever- (reticulate melanism) on the carapace. very particular about where they bury al times before deciding it is safe to go One of the most reliable features for their eggs and usually select warm, ashore. During nest-digging and egg- telling the sexes apart is the long slen- unvegetated south-facing sites with laying, which start at dusk and contin- der claws on the front feet of the male. soils that are dry, light in texture and ue late into the night, they are very free of roots or large stones. Exposure wary and readily abandon the attempt How do they reproduce? to warm summer temperatures is if disturbed. Females spend several tudies at Kikomun Creek Provincial necessary for egg development and minutes exploring the nesting area, Park have shed considerable light on hatching. Site selec- before selecting a suitable site Painted Turtle reproduction near the tion has a profound and digging a depression with S northern edge of this species’ range. effect on the young Gender is their front claws. They then In this area, male turtles become sexually since their gender straddle the depression and dig a mature at about four years of age; females is determined by determined flask-shaped hole about 12 cm not until seven or eight years. During the the temperature of by the deep with their strong hind feet, breeding season, in early spring, several the nest – male off- while periodically wetting the males often swim after a female. When spring from cooler temperature soil with urine. If they encounter one catches up, he faces her and uses his nests and females of the nest. stones or roots they sometimes long claws to stroke her head, then swims from warmer ones. move to another location or away enticing her to follow. After several Nest sites are usually within 150 metres come back another night. minutes of courtship the female sinks to of ponds and may include non-natural The eggs are deposited one at a time the bottom of the pond, followed by the environments like dikes, road shoulders in the nest hole, each one being care- male, and they mate. or parking lots. Uplands around many fully positioned toward the back of the In British Columbia, females lay ponds used by Painted Turtles, includ- cavity. When she is finished laying, the clutches of about 6 to 18 leathery, white ing those at Kikomun Creek Park, are female pushes the excavated soil back eggs from early June to early July. The mostly forested, therefore open nesting into the hole, moistens it with more small, oval eggs are about 3 cm long. terrain is very limited. urine and packs it down with her hind 30 years, so the few hatchlings that What makes them unique? Present distribution of the Painted Turtle survive are usually enough to main- urtles have bodies that are quite dif- in Canada and the tain the population. ferent from those of other four- United States legged creatures and other reptiles, What do they eat? T like snakes. Because their ribs form n the spring, Painted Turtles become part of the shell, they are unable to active when the water temperature breathe by expanding and contracting reaches 10°C, but they do not start the ribs. Instead they contract and relax I feeding until it is about 14°C. the abdominal muscles to pump air in Feeding occurs almost entirely in the and out of the lungs. Their shells are also water because these turtles have heavy and restrictive, especially on land. difficulty swallowing dry food. In sum- Nevertheless, this unique anatomy does mer, they often stay underwater for up have advantages, the main one being to 20 minutes before coming to the sur- that the head, legs and tail can be face to breathe. On sunny days most drawn into the shell for protection. feeding activity is in the morning, Having no external followed by basking in the after- Painted ears, turtles cannot noon when the sun is hottest. hear high-frequen- The diet of the Painted Turtle Turtles feed cy sounds, but the has not been studied in detail in in the shell serves as a sort British Columbia.

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