Northwestern Pond Turtle

Northwestern Pond Turtle

Description:

  • Lacks bright coloration on bottom shell which is usually a creamy yellow with some dark blotches
  • Top shell ranges in color from dark brown to olive
  • Head and legs are dark brown to olive
  • Grows up to 10 inches long

Habitat:

  • Inhabits a variety of aquatic habitats, including; ponds, rivers, reservoirs, streams, seasonal wetlands, and flooded gravel pits
  • Not fully aquatic; may spend part of the year, including winter months, in upland forests
  • May bask on rocks and boulders
  • Uses underwater hiding places such as undercut stream banks, mud substrates, logs, and dense patches of aquatic plants to avoid predators

Status:

Range:

  • Primarily found west of the Cascades in the Willamette, Umpqua, Rogue, and Klamath River drainages