The
bog turtle is a semiaquatic
turtle that is endemic to the eastern
United States. It was discovered in Pennsylvania in the 18th century and first scientifically described in 1801. It is the
smallest
North American
turtle,
measuring about 10 cen
timeters (4 in) long when fully
grown. Although the
bog turtle is similar in appearance to the painted or
spotted
turtles, its closest relative is the somewhat larger wood
turtle. The
bog turtle can be found from Vermont in the north,
south to Georgia and west to Ohio. Diurnal and
secretive, it
spends most of its
time buried in
mud and, during the
winter months, in
hibernation. The
bog turtle is
omnivorous,
feeding mainly on
small invertebrates.
Adult bog turtles
weigh 110
grams (3.9 oz) on
average. Their
skins and
shells are
typically dark brown, with a
distinctive orange spot on each
side of the
neck.
Considered threatened at the
federal level, the
bog turtle is
protected under the
United States' Endangered Species Act. Invasive plants and urban development have eradicated much of the
bog turtle's habitat, substantially reducing its numbers. Demand for the
bog turtle is high in the black market pet trade, partly because of its
small size and unique characteristics. Various private projects have been undertaken in an attempt to reverse the decline in the
turtle's population. The
turtle has a low reproduction rate; females
lay an
average of three eggs per
clutch and
lay one
clutch per year. The young tend to
grow rapidly, reaching sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 10
years old. Bog
turtles live for an
average of 20 to 30
years in the wild. Since 1973, the Bronx Zoo has successfully bred
bog turtles in captivity.
View Info
Here
Or here If images fail to load.
Build your
retirement nest egg. With a
Roth IRA, the earlier you start saving the more your money will
grow. Invest in your future now!
/* Font
Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style
Definitions */
MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
p.
MsoNormal, li.
MsoNormal,
div.
MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:15.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, ns-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}