You may have already heard of the Russian tortoise, the red-eared slider turtle, and the painted turtle. You may know that these and other turtles are commonly kept as pets. But have you ever heard of Blanding’s turtle? Here are some interesting facts about this endangered species.
Blanding’s tortoises (Emydoidea blandingii) can appear charming to people, with their medium size being six to nine inches long. Belonging to the semi-aquatic type of turtle, it has a domed shell like a box turtle, but its shell is the shape and size of a soccer ball. Their shells are black with yellow spots. The distinguishing marks of Blanding’s tortoises are their bright yellow chins and throats.
Blanding’s tortoises are shy and non-aggressive. In fact, the Blanding’s tortoise tends to stay at the bottom of its habitat for a long time when it senses danger. Unlike other turtles, they rarely bite and, in addition to being good swimmers, they can also catch live fish. Like most other turtles, they have been confirmed in the sun and must bask in the sun to dry off and keep warm.
Blanding’s tortoises prefer to inhabit areas with low, slow-moving water and abundant aquatic vegetation. Blanding’s tortoises are found around swamps, weed ponds, and salt marshes throughout North America, in the Great Lakes region, from southern Ontario to Michigan to northern Ohio and Indiana; west of Illinois, Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, Iowa, and northeast Nebraska. (Benedictine University, 2009)
This species hibernates from late October to early April. After hibernation, mating in Blanding’s tortoises generally occurs in April and May, and nesting begins in early June and ends the same month. The Blanding’s tortoise takes a long time (14 to 20 years) to reach sexual maturity. Blanding’s turtles
They can live 70 years and are omnivores, feeding on plants, plant debris and fish.
Blanding’s tortoises are listed as a threatened species in Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa, among other states. It is against the law to keep this endangered species in captivity. However, even in the wild, this turtle is in danger. For example, in New York, a major concern is the devastation of Blanding’s turtle territory due to the construction of housing development projects, beach properties, and other summer leisure facilities. These facilities invade and destroy the wild habitat of the Blanding’s tortoise.
This alarming trend is forcing people to realize that now is the right time to become aware of the importance of maintaining the population of these endangered turtle species. If they go extinct, people are sure to notice a negative impact on their ecosystem. People must strictly follow and enforce the laws to ensure the continued existence of the Blanding Turtle. We must take steps now to ensure that our children, and our children’s children, see these beautiful creatures not just in pictures, as part of history, but alive, in their natural habitats.