Turtle Survey

Red-Eared Slider Turtle

• Invasive in Chicago (from Mexico and other south states)

• Sliders are kept as a pets, they have been let go which is why they are in Chicago

• They are drawn to North Pond’s soil and sand.

• They can live up to to 60 years.

• Prefer to bask on warm/sunny days.

• Grown adults reach 12 inches

• They eat small fish and aquatic vegetation

Rosenberg-Douglas, Katherine. “Turtle Season Means Keeping Your Eyes Peeled for Hatchlings in Parks, Forest Preserves.” Chicagotribune.com, 23 May 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-turtle-season-means-keeping-eyes-peeled-20180521-story.html.

“Red-Eared Slider.” Moose Facts for Kids - NatureMapping, naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/red-eared_slider_712.html.

“Red-Eared Slider Turtle.” Animal Spot, www.animalspot.net/red-eared-slider-turtle.html

 

Yellow-Bellied Slider

• In the wild, up to 30 years, in captivity up to 40 years

• They tend to eat first thing in the morning, and in the wild will spend most of the rest of the day basking in the sun

• Yellow-bellied sliders are omnivorous, however, juveniles tend to be more carnivores than adults

• Aquatic insects, such as dragonfly larvae are consumed in the wild, as well as crayfish and snails

• Females can attain carapace lengths of near 11 inches, while males are smaller at approximately 8 inches

• The yellow-bellied slider is a habitat generalist, being found in slow-moving rivers, floodplain swamps, marshes, and permanent pond

• They are also an invasive species in Illinois

“Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtle Videos, Photos and Facts.” Arkive, www.arkive.org/yellow-bellied-slider-turtle/trachemys-scripta/.

 

Common Snapping Turtle

• Although this species is seldom seen basking, by day the common snapping turtle can often be seen floating lazily just below the water’s surface

• While the young snapping turtles tend to forage for food, adults tend to employ a sit-and-wait strategy ambushing its prey

• Snapping turtles feed on plants, insects, spiders, worms, fish, frogs, small turtles, snakes, birds, crayfish, small mammals, and carrion.

• Despite being a capable swimmer, the common snapping turtle tends to move by walking along the bottom of a pond or other water body

• This species has a long tail, which is about the same length as or longer than the carapace and is adorned with a row of large, saw-tooth scales along the top

• The common snapping turtle inhabits a wide range of water bodies, from rivers and lakes to temporary ponds and marshes. However, this species tends to show a preference for slow-moving waterways which have a sandy or soft mud bottom and an abundance of aquatic vegetation.

“Common Snapping Turtle Videos, Photos and Facts.” Arkive, www.arkive.org/common-snapping-turtle/chelydra-serpentina/

“Painted Turtle.” Moose Facts for Kids - NatureMapping, naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/painted_turtle_k6.html.

Painted Turtles

• Males painted turtles are smaller than the females

• The most distributed turtle in North America

• They live up to 40 years in the wild

• They can retract into their shells for protection

• Females are amniote and have to lay their eggs on land

• Sun exposure helps fight off bacteria

“Painted Turtle.” Warner Nature Center, www.warnernaturecenter.org/animals/paintedturtle.

 

Turtle Vocabulary

• Carapace- Turtle top shell

• Keel- raised ridge along middle carapace of turtle

• Plastron- Turtles bottom shell

• Scute- separate scales on the carapace and plastr