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HomeNatureThe Western Painted Turtle: the Brilliant Spot in Your Neighbourhood Wetland

The Western Painted Turtle: the Brilliant Spot in Your Neighbourhood Wetland


Because of our Nature Community associate, Habitat Acquisition Belief, for sharing this month’s weblog.


The Western Painted Turtle will get its title from its colourful markings: vivid yellow stripes on the top and limbs and a fantastically patterned shell with vivid orange and yellow hues. This freshwater reptile is Vancouver Island’s solely remaining native turtle, and it’s endangered.

In British Columbia (BC), there are two remaining populations: the Intermountain-Rocky Mountain Inhabitants within the southern inside, and the Pacific Coast Inhabitants within the southwest. The coastal inhabitants is discovered within the Decrease Fraser Valley and Sunshine Coast on the mainland, in addition to on Vancouver Island and a few of the Gulf Islands within the Strait of Georgia.

Tiffany Joseph, an skilled environmental steward and SENĆOŦEN language learner, shared with the Habitat Acquisition Belief that the SENĆOŦEN phrase for turtle is MOÍUIĆ throughout her teachings of the W̱SÁNEĆ language and tradition. The scientific title for the Western Painted Turtle is Chrysemys picta bellii.

The endangered Western Painted Turtle is Vancouver Island’s solely native turtle.

The distribution of the Pacific Coast inhabitants overlaps with densely populated and extremely modified areas, the place city growth, drainage of wetlands, forestry, highway constructing, and different human actions threaten turtle populations. Turtles are additionally susceptible to being run over by autos when crossing roads between their wetland houses and on-land nesting habitats. These turtles require wetland habitats for foraging and hibernation and appropriate heat websites on land for egg-laying. Egg-laying habitats are sometimes in brief provide, which is a limiting issue for this species and different freshwater turtles. Western painted turtles additionally compete for meals and habitat towards invasive species, such because the Purple-eared slider.

A Western Painted Turtle exhibits its true colors. (Photograph: Woody Thomson)

The Western Painted Turtle is commonly confused with invasive species like  the Purple-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) and  the Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) as a consequence of their related measurement, colouration, and habitat preferences.

Non-native turtles, significantly the Purple-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), pose vital threats to Western painted turtle populations and ecosystems. The introduction of non-native turtles is basically as a consequence of their reputation within the pet commerce. Sadly, many turtles, together with Purple-eared and Yellow-bellied Sliders, are launched into the wild by pet house owners who can not take care of them. These turtles can usually dwell as much as 50 years outdated and develop over 30 cm lengthy. There are at the least 6 species which were deserted in BC lakes and ponds. Of all of the species launched, the Purple-eared slider is the one one launched in excessive sufficient numbers to permit men and women to seek out one another and reproduce.

The invasive Yellow-bellied Slider, pictured above, is commonly mistaken for the native Western Painted Turtle. (Photograph: Jen Anderson)

If an deserted pet survives the discharge into the wild, it poses a critical risk to our native Western painted turtles. Purple-eared Sliders are extremely adaptable and infrequently outcompete Western painted turtles for assets, together with meals, habitat, basking websites, and feeding websites.

One other concern is the potential for launched turtles to transmit ailments and parasites to Western Painted Turtles. As an launched species, they might carry pathogens to which native populations don’t have any resistance, additional threatening the well being and survival of Western Painted Turtles.

Neighborhood members can play an important function in mitigating this drawback by avoiding the discharge of pet turtles into the wild, supporting conservation initiatives aimed toward controlling invasive species, and spreading consciousness concerning the significance of defending native wildlife.

Your observations of turtles and turtle nests on South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are vital. By reporting them, you’re actively contributing to the conservation of our native wildlife. Please ship your observations, with clear images every time doable, to [email protected].

To be taught extra concerning the Western Painted Turtle, go to: hat.bc.ca/western-painted-turtles.

To assist HAT, go to: hat.bc.ca/growhope.

Need to assist Canadian species just like the Western Painted Turtle and extra? Keep tuned with the newest in Canadian nature by subscribing for e-mail updates. You’ll obtain common updates about what we’re doing to guard Canadian nature and how one can assist.



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