| Turtle Species
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| | oceans of the world. Populations are
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| Turtles are cold-blooded reptiles. They
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| | endangered or threatened everywhere.
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| have a shell making them unique from
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| | The Blanding's turtle is a northern
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| other reptiles. Their upper shell is
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| | turtle that has a black carapace with tan
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| called the carapace, and a lower shell
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| | to yellow spots on the scutes. Its
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| that protects the belly called the
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| | species name is Emydoidea blandingii.
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| plastron. The carapace and plastron shape
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| | Sometimes this turtle is confused with
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| and color varies from species to species.
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| | the box turtle because of similar
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| One might think it would at least always
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| | appearances.
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| be a hard shell, which also is untrue.
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| | This turtle lives in clean, shallow
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| There are softshell turtle species, along
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| | water habitats. They like abundant
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| with many others.
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| | aquatic vegetation, and firm aquatic
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| Some turtle species include Clemmys
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| | bottoms in ponds, lakes, marshes, and
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| insculpta which is the wood turtle;
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| | creeks. However, preferences in habitat
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| Geochelone sulcata which is the African
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| | can change seasonally and by location. In
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| Spurred tortoise; Chelonia mydas which is
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| | Wisconsin, the Blanding's turtle prefers
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| the green turtle; Emydoidea blandingii
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| | marshes over ponds, which is just a
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| which is the Blanding's turtle; Clemmys
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| | location preference. Turtles elsewhere
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| guttata which is the spotted turtle;
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| | may choose a pond over a marsh.
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| Malaclemys terrapin which is the
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| | This turtle nests once a year usually
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| diamondback terrapin; and Trachemys s.
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| | from late-May to early July during the
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| elegans which is the red-eared slider.
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| | night. However, not every female nests
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| The species name for the wood turtle is
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| | every year.
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| Clemmys insculpta. This turtle is the
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| | The common name for Clemmys guttata is
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| largest in its genus. The carapace has
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| | the spotted turtle. This is a small,
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| raised projections on the back that
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| | black turtle that has a pattern on its
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| resemble a small pyramid, making it
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| | smooth carapace with small yellow spots.
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| different from others in the Clemmys
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| | Over time the spots may fade, making
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| genus.
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| | older turtles appear spotless.
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| The wood turtle is omnivorous and eats
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| | Male spotted turtles tend to have tan
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| things like algae, moss, blueberries,
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| | chins with brown eyes differing from the
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| mollusks, insects, earthworms, and mice.
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| | females who tend to have yellow chins and
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| Typically adult males are larger than
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| | orange eyes.
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| adult females, but not by a whole lot.
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| | These turtles live in areas that are
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| The species name for the African Spurred
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| | shallow wetlands. This can consist of
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| tortoise is Geochelone sulcata. The
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| | swamps, bogs, fens, and marshes, but not
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| African Spurred Tortoise is the only
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| | confined to just these areas.
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| tortoise in the world that has adapted
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| | Spotted turtles are active during they
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| fully for terrestrial life. The turtle is
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| | day for the most part, meaning they are
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| famous for digging burrows to protect
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| | diurnal. However, females are active at
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| itself from predators and the
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| | night while they are nesting.
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| temperature. This turtle can go weeks
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| | Spotted turtles are preyed upon by bald
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| without food or water. When the turtle
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| | eagles, skunks, and raccoons.
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| does get a chance to drink water though,
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| | The species name for the Diamondback
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| it can drink up to 15% of its body
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| | Terrapin is Malaclemys terrapin. This
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| weight.
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| | turtle is a small to medium size turtle
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| The species name for the green turtle is
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| | which feeds on sponges, bryozoans,
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| Chelonia mydas. Adult green turtles have
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| | gastropods, crabs, carrion, and plant
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| a different diet than juvenile green
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| | material.
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| turtles. Adults are herbivores eating
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| | They have a hingeless plastron which can
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| plants and juveniles are carnivores
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| | be yellow to green or black, and an
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| eating meat. Adults usually spend their
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| | oblong carapace is gray, light brown or
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| time in patches of sea grass and algae to
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| | black. They can be found in estuaries and
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| get their food, while juveniles spend
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| | salt marshes.
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| their time among the coral reef. Adults
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| | Nesting for these turtles is different
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| preferred food is young leaves and roots
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| | from a majority of turtles because it is
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| of sea vegetation. Juveniles eat animals
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| | during the day. Most turtles tend to nest
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| such as jellyfish, sponges, snails,
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| | during the night. High tide is the most
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| bivalves, and others.
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| | usual time for this particular turtle to
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| This turtle is a medium to large sea
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| | nest.
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| turtle that has a broad, low,
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| | The red-eared slider is native to the
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| heart-shaped carapace.
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| | United States. It is commonly found in
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| Most of their lives are spent in the
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| | the Southern regions. The species name
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| water but females return to the land to
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| | for it is Trachemys s. elegans.
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| lay their eggs. The eggs take about two
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| | When the red-eared slider is young it is
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| months to incubate, and then hatch. As
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| | carnivorous, but as it ages they become
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| most turtles are, green turtles possess
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| | more vegetarian. They are a medium size
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| environmental sex determination.
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| | and have a dark green oval shell. Their
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| Temperature of the nest determines the
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| | legs are green with think yellow stripes.
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| sex of the hatchling. Warmer temperatures
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| | The head is also green, but it has a red
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| produce females, and cooler temperatures
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| | stripe behind the eye.
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| produce males.
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| | These turtles are found in most
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| Green turtles are found throughout the
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| | permanent slow-moving bodies of water.
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