Western pond turtles are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of things. Insects, crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates make up most of their diet; fish, tadpoles and small frogs may occasionally be included too.
These native turtles are in decline throughout their range, including Washington state. But thanks to a collaborative effort between Woodland Park Zoo and other Pacific Northwest stakeholders, these turtles may have an edge in this fight.
Insects
Western pond turtles are omnivores, feeding on a variety of insects, fish, frog eggs, snails, leeches and aquatic beetles. Additionally they consume plant foods such as filamentous algae, lily pods, tule roots and cattail roots.
Adult western pond turtles’ diet varies with the season. In spring and summer, they tend to be opportunistic in their prey choices; consuming both insects and vertebrate prey items. As secondary consumers of algae and plants, they also occasionally consume mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian carrion.
When temperatures drop in wintertime, these creatures hibernate underwater for several months. To survive this long period of inactivity, they utilize cloacal respiration – pumping water through pouches that function like gills to extract oxygen from the water.
In the Spring, female birds migrate up to half a mile from their home habitat in search of an ideal site to oviposit their eggs. They search for dry, sandy terrain with sparse vegetation and southern exposure where they can soften the soil with urine before digging a hole with their hind feet.
Once a nest is dug, the female deposits her eggs inside it. After this is completed, it’s covered and abandoned for 80-100 days depending on temperature. Hatchlings typically leave their nest in spring when temperatures are warm enough for them to survive outside of it.
These small turtles have an average life expectancy of 50 years in the wild. They are mostly found in California’s Central Valley and coastal region.
Although not considered threatened by California authorities, western pond turtle populations have suffered substantial losses due to human activities like land development and habitat loss. Protected under California’s endangered species laws, WDFW biologists monitor this species’ population to guarantee its continued viability and success.
Crayfish
Western pond turtles feed on crayfish, insects and other water-dwelling animals. They will occasionally consume some fish and other carrion when available.
Western Pond Turtles are native to both the United States and Mexico, from western Washington state to northern Baja California. These slow-moving aquatic turtles thrive in a variety of ponds, rivers, streams, and marshes.
These small to medium-sized turtles typically measure 8 inches long with a “carapace.” Their backs are dark brown or olive, while their undersides are yellow. Males can be identified by their light or pale yellow throats.
These turtles exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females larger than males. Adults possess smooth carapaces without serrations.
When a pond turtle feels threatened, they can quickly burrow into the water and remain submerged for hours. This helps them ward off predators such as coyotes or skunks.
The western pond turtle is a solitary animal that lives in slow-moving freshwater environments such as rivers, ponds, lakes and marshes. They have become protected species in certain regions so it’s illegal to remove them from their natural habitat or keep them as pets.
Their natural habitat consists of slow-moving ponds, rivers, sloughs, oxbow lakes and drainage ditches; however they also frequent gravel pits and shallow wetlands. Omnivorous in nature, their diet consists of algae, plants, snails, crayfish and insects.
They are active during the day, but do not hunt until nightfall. Furthermore, their cryptic nature makes them difficult to spot in the wild.
In the spring and fall, females mate, creating nests along the edge of a stream or pond. Some females lay two clutches of eggs annually while others may only lay eggs every other year.
California law protects these turtles, making it illegal to remove them from the wild. While they can be found in a variety of habitats, they prefer ponds and rivers with emergent logs. Furthermore, these reptiles enjoy basking on top of aquatic vegetation.
