Northwestern Pond Turtle
Description:
- Lacks bright coloration on bottom shell which is usually a creamy yellow with some
dark blotches
- Top shell ranges in color from dark brown to olive
- Head and legs are dark brown to olive
- Grows up to 10 inches long
Habitat:
- Inhabits a variety of aquatic habitats, including; ponds, rivers, reservoirs,
streams, seasonal wetlands, and flooded gravel pits
- Not fully aquatic; may spend part of the year, including winter months, in upland
forests
- May bask on rocks and boulders
- Uses underwater hiding places such as undercut stream banks, mud substrates, logs,
and dense patches of aquatic plants to avoid predators
Status:
Range:
- Primarily found west of the Cascades in the Willamette, Umpqua, Rogue, and Klamath
River drainages
