Painted Turtle

As resilient survivors belonging to the pond turtle family Emydidae, these turtles adapted creatively to the planet's changing climate.

The turtle eats aquatic vegetation, algae, and small water creatures including insects, crustaceans, and fish.

According to a trade data study, painted turtles were the second most popular pet turtles after red-eared sliders in the early 1990s.

Because they are highly adaptable and widely distributed across fresh waters from Canada to Mexico, their conservation status is listed as Least Concern, meaning they are currently thriving in the wild.

During the last Ice Age, they split into distinct groups and evolved into three regionally unique subspecies: the Eastern painted turtle (found along the Atlantic coast), the Midland painted turtle (living around the Great Lakes), and the Western painted turtle (the largest group, spanning the west coast and Canada).

They have been shown to prefer large wetlands with long periods of inundation and emergent vegetation.

They can be found in wetland areas like swamps and marshes with a thick layer of mud as well as sandy bottoms with lots of vegetation.

The western painted turtle lives in streams and lakes, similar to the other painted turtles, but also inhabits pasture ponds and roadside pools.

The western painted turtle lives in streams and lakes, similar to the other painted turtles, but also inhabits pasture ponds and roadside pools.

IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.