| Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) |
| Synonyms: Emys blandingii, Cistuda blandingii (see Reptile Database for more synonyms) |
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Emydoidea blandingii is a North American species found in the Great Lakes region and the upper Mississippi basin; isolated populations exist in New England and Nova Scotia (Map). It inhabits wetlands and shallow lakes with abundant aquatic vegetation, but may wander far from water when nesting. This is a medium-sized turtle. The carapace is 18-28 cm in length, dark, but streaked with yellow. The throat and the chin are bright yellow. Eggs are laid in sandy soil from late May to mid-July; 5-20 eggs per clutch. Hatchlings emerge in 10-17 weeks, from mid-August to late October. E. blandingii feeds on crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates, fish, frogs, carrion, berries, etc. Blanding's Turtles hibernate underwater, buried in the mud, from late October to late April. This species is considered endangered throughout much of its range, due to wetland development, road mortality, and excessive predation of nests, hatchlings, and adults by Raccoons and other predators associated with densely populated areas.
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