Western Pond Turtle
Actinemys marmorata
- Habitat: Lives in freshwater lake and pond habitats
- Range: Western U.S.A
- Natural Diet: Aquatic invertebrates and plants
- Status in the Wild: THREATENED
Fun Facts
- Western pond turtles are native to California
- These freshwater turtles have dark brown to olive colored bodies and shells with a carapace of 5 to 8 inches in length.
- They are amphibious and live in and around freshwater bodies.
- They are usually seen basking together in the sun.
- Although they are comfortable in deep water, they build terrestrial nests.
- Females lay half to a dozen eggs once or twice a year.
Conservation Threats
Major threats to wild populations of this species are:
- Habitat loss due to urbanization - agricultural practices
- The hatchlings of these turtles are predated upon by invasive species such are American bullfrogs and red-eared slider turtles.
- Red eared slider turtles also compete with adult western pond turtles for their home ranges
