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I came across this conga-line of turtles in the beautiful and expansive Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge in Stevensville, MT.
They were perched on a partially submerged tree branch in
shallow water. I used a telephoto lens to seemingly get this close to them, but I really wasn't all that close. After the photo session was over and I slowly turned to leave, the foursome plopped into the water. Sometimes you just get lucky.
Some turtles on a rock in Xujiahui Park.
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This was a small snapping turtle (about 10 inches) and it was on the shoulder of the road. We had no gloves in the car to pick it up and help but watched as it safely arrived on the other side across two lanes of traffic.
Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
Bird Island | Seychelles
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Following on from my previous comments about this species.
As part of Bird Island’s ongoing conservation programme, as many Hawksbill Turtles as possible are measured and tagged after laying – a procedure that my wife Tris and I have been privileged to share on many an occasion. We have also encountered a number of turtles laying when we have been on our own and, consequently, have been responsible for obtaining the tag numbers. There is usually a tag on each front flipper so, in theory, it’s just a simple case of recording the numbers, but sometimes this is easier than others. Although the process of coming out of the sea, up the beach to find a suitable nesting site, digging, laying and the covering up phase can take over two hours, there is a sudden sense of urgency when the job is done and all they want to do is get back to the sea as quickly as possible! For this reason, the best time to approach them to take their tag numbers is during the covering-up process. Normally you can just rub your fingers over the metal tags to remove any sand deposits so that you can read the numbers. Sometimes though this isn’t possible due to their position, particularly if they’ve made their way under bushes to lay, so you have to wait until they’re out in the open and ready to head back down the beach. It’s then a case of just holding her for a few seconds so that the tag numbers can be read. I’ve been shown how to hold them properly so I know what I’m doing, but to actually restrain them is far more difficult than you’d think, because, although relatively small as far as turtles go, they are remarkably strong creatures. I remember one of the very first times I had to do this when the turtle was near the sea - I thought I was going to be pulled in after her. I had visions of ending up on a beach on another island!
Whilst respecting their situation at all times, you can also approach a turtle when they are laying. However, if you’re walking around the beach and see a turtle in the shallows looking for a suitable spot to come in, or one that is already on the beach in the process of finding a nesting site and/or starting to dig, then it is essential to keep your distance. If a turtle is disturbed before laying, or doesn’t like the beach area she’s chosen, she will simply return to the sea to come up another time. The evidence of this is often seen when you find tracks in the sand that show one has come out and back in again without laying. Sometimes these tracks are short, but other times, particularly at the remote north end of the island, they can extend over distances exceeding 150m or more.
They lay up to 200 eggs at a time, so hatchings can be large and quite exciting to watch for those that are fortunate to witness. Whilst Hawksbills are protected, they still have to ensure that their chosen nest site is in a safe location well above the high-tide line to guard against crab predation. But, at the same time, hatchlings need to be given a fighting chance of reaching the sea alive before being attacked by crabs or picked off by gulls or frigatebirds, which means that they don’t really want to nest further from the sea than necessary.
To walk round Bird Island and spot a turtle coming in to lay is a very special experience.
NB. please have a look at some of the other photos in my 'Turtles' album.
LA: Emys orbicularis
EN: European pond turtle
DE: Europäische Sumpfschildkröte
HU: Mocsári teknős
We found him near a little pond.
The only turtle species that is endemic to Central Europe. Otherwise it can be found in Europe, Turkey and Morocco, as well.
Loves slow moving waters and ponds. They can live up 40-60 years long.
In many European countries they are endangered as their natural habitat of wetlands is shrinking.
In recent years they are also threatened by the fact that there are more and more Red-eared sliders (a turtle species native to the southern US and Mexico but often kept as pet in Europe) end up in the wild and behave as an invasive species against the local pond turtle.
This post is all for my youngest. He loves turtles. We keep seeing everyone else post photos of turtles and I had yet (till now) post any of "Jared's turtle's. We saw all these turtle when we were in Florida and I can tell you that it took awhiiiiiile to get through a place with so many turtles hanging around for Jared to look at. Sooo....Welcome to Jared's World of turtles(and relitives). Trust me...to him they are alll turtles big or small.
Leica MP
Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 III
Ilford FP4+
Kodak D76 1+0
10 min 30 sec 20°C
Scan from negative film
Red-eared turtle (a rather large one) floating at the surface and a fish appears ready to give him a nudge from behind. In Montell, Uvalde County, Texas
Trachemys scripta elegans. Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin. This species is native to the southern US. Common in central Texas.
Photographed on Ashford Hollow Road, West Valley, New York.
Large and aggressive. Don't try and stroke it's chin unless you're happy with fewer fingers.
This turtle was resting on a log beside the Tip to Tip Trail along the Rideau Canal, Ottawa. The sun was high and the turtle was enjoying its warmth. He was not bothered by having his picture taken and stayed there for a very long time.
:-) Long time no see.. Hope You are well!
Got this funny thing crawling around the floors here, who knew Id be babysitting a turtle one day.. :-D..