Water turtle | Facts & Information
# Water turtle | Facts & Information
Water turtle | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Water turtle
The water turtle is spread over a large area encompassing Europe, Western Asia and North-West Africa.
Water turtle
The water turtle, scientifically known as Trachemys scripta, is a fascinating and popular animal among reptile lovers. This species belongs to the Emydidae family and is spread worldwide. Water turtles are semi-aquatic reptiles and spend time both on land and in water. These wonderful creatures have a long history and have survived over millions of years. This article highlights the characteristics, habitat, and behavior of the water turtle.Water turtles are known for their distinctive appearance. They have a small, round head and a large, robust shell. The shell has a characteristic dome shape and is green-gray to brown or black, with yellow or orange spots. The legs, tail, and neck are usually dark green, with yellow or black stripes. Males are usually smaller than females and have a longer, narrower tail.
These turtles live in a variety of aquatic habitats, including lakes, ponds, swamps, and slow-moving or stagnant rivers. They are adapted to live in freshwater and prefer areas with rich vegetation, where they can hide and feed. Water turtles are known for their sunbathing abilities on rocks or at the water's edge. This helps them regulate their body temperature and maintain their activity level.
These reptiles feed on a variety of foods, including aquatic plants, algae, insects, worms, and sometimes small fish. They have a unique feeding method called "turtle slithering," where they keep their plants or crustaceans in their mouths and grind their food using special tooth plates. This technique allows them to easily feed on fibrous plants and hard crustaceans.
Due to their adaptability, water turtles have been introduced to habitats outside their natural range. Some species have become invasive and have had a negative impact on local ecosystems. For example, in Europe, the Trachemys scripta elegans species was initially brought as pets, but some individuals were abandoned or released into the wild, affecting local turtle species.
These reptiles have interesting and easily observable behavior. They can be seen swimming easily in water and basking on rocks or dry shores to warm themselves in the sun. They can also be observed climbing onto various objects in the water to clean their shells. Water turtles have a lifespan of about 20-30 years in the wild and can live even longer in captivity.
In conclusion, the water turtle is a fascinating and adaptable reptile that lives both on land and in water. This species has a distinctive shell and observable behavior. However, we need to be responsible in managing and protecting water turtle populations to avoid negative repercussions on ecosystems. Conservation and education efforts are extremely important to ensure a healthy future for these wonderful animal species.
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Origin
In Romania, it was spread almost throughout the country, but in relatively small numbers, and today it is less common.
Favorite places of this tortoisare the shores of lakes with rich aquatic vegetation, as well as swampy areas, which are difficult to cross from other animals.
Water turtle feed
She really likes to sit on the water's edge, but at the slightest alarm she throws herself into the water and disappears into her meal. It is a very agile species, moving easily in water, where it normally feeds.
A ferocious carnivore, it awaits its prey by floating among aquatic vegetation. The approaching prey is caught by the Lightning detente of the neck and quickly killed by the repeated movements of the mexilars.
After that, the turtle retreats under the water, where the prey is torn to pieces. The food of these frogs is: crustaceans, terrestrial invertebrates, rodents, even young birds, fish, insects, worms and very rarely, some plant components.
Features water turtle
The European turtle is small to medium - sized, presenting varieties ranging from 15-25 cm. The body format is different depending on the age category, evolving from a relatively round shape in youth, to an oval shape in adult material.
The water turtle's limbs are very strong, column-shaped, with strong and palmate paws, provided with long and powerful claws, in the number of 5 forelimbs and 4 forelimbs. As a peculiarity, we can mention that the claws are joined by an InterDigital membrane, which allows them to move easily in water.
The body is tightly enclosed in a hard, ossified carapace, covered with plaques of a horny nature. The anal plate of the carapace is whole, indistinguishable, the tail short, without a horny ending. On both sides of the tail, on the inner side of the thighs, there is a conical horny tubercle.
The color is very variable, with the shade tissue extending from Brown to black, on the surface of which there are scattered small spots or lines of yellow color. On the head, neck and limbs there are also yellow spots.
Breeding water turtle
This species overwinters on the bottom of waters, from late autumn to early April.
At the end of May or the beginning of June, the female lays 3-16 eggs the size of the pigeon egg, in the floodplains of the Danube Delta, sometimes climbs in Willows and lays the eggs in the loose soil of hollows, but usually on the shore, not far from the water gloss.
Usually, in the fall or even the next spring, the chicks hatch from the eggs, breaking the shell with the help of a hatching tooth of a horny nature, located on the upper jaw.
In captivity, these turtles do not go into hibernation if they are kept at a high temperature (that of the room), but in this case they require careful care from us.
The European water turtle is currently threatened with extinction due to the reduction of natural conditions, pollution, hydrological arrangements and even the cruelty of some people, being protected by law in all countries where it is present.
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Water turtle | Facts & InformationWater Turtle | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Water Turtle