Blanding’s Turtle
Scientific Name
Class
Order
Range
Habitat
Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Blanding’s turtles are medium-sized turtles with smooth black or gray shells that can reach 11 inches in length. Some shells have white or yellow dots. These turtles have a rounded head and a yellow throat. Blanding’s turtles prey on crustaceans, insects, frogs, and fish. They use their long necks and jaws to capture prey. After breeding, females bury their eggs in drained soil away from the water.
Interesting Fact 1
During winter, Blanding’s turtles burrow beneath the ground and enter a state of lower metabolic activity until spring.
Interesting Fact 2
Special shell hinges give them extra protection against predators.
Interesting Fact 3
The sex of hatchlings is dependent on temperature. Eggs that incubate at temperatures below 77 degrees are nearly all male while those above 86 degrees are nearly all female.
Species Survival Plan®
We cooperate with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage the zoo population of this species through a Species Survival Plan®.
Saving Animals From Exctinction
AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction focuses the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their audiences to save species.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
Support Your Zoo
Animals Depend On People Too
When you ADOPT an animal, you support world-class animal care by helping to provide specially formulated diets, new habitat elements, and regular veterinary checkups.
Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
Take Action With Us
Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
