Today’s Wildlife Wednesday is the Blanding’s turtle.
- The shape of the Blanding’s turtle’s mouth makes it appear that they are always smiling.
- Their most distinctive field mark is a bright yellow throat and chin, which can easily be seen from some distance away.
- Carapace (top shell) is dark gray to brown, and covered with yellow spots that fuse to form streaks.
- This turtle is named for William Blanding, the early Philadelphia naturalist who first described it.
- Ohio’s Blanding’s turtles are limited primarily to the northern counties along Lake Erie, where they inhabit the marshy shorelines, inland streams, wet meadows, and swamp forests.
- Although essentially aquatic, the Blanding’s turtle often travels overland as it moves among different wetlands throughout the year.
For more info on turtles in Ohio, head to https://ohiodnr.gov/…/Pub%205354_Reptiles%20of%20Ohio…. Ohio Division of Wildlife Ohio Department of Education
