By: Cseuz Alexandra, Rácz Ildikó, Wesniczky Diana

The pond turtle lives mainly in South and

East Europe. This is the only native turtle

kind in Hungary. Near Szolnok we can find

them in still water or the lowlands.

The head is oval and broadens towards the end. Their 20 cm long shells and skin are green or brown sometimes

spotty. It can duck its limbs and tail into its shell defensively, so almost nobody and nothing can get it. The male’s tail is longer in proportion to its body. They have got strong claws. The female has got shorter tail

than the male. The superstition says that they like marshes but this is not true. In fact the European pond

turtle prefers clean water. They like lying on floating tree branches but they can often be seen on the banks of the

rivers lying in the sun.

Their eyesight is perfect so if somebody approaches,they can see it from more than 10 meters. They alerteach other and slip into the water.

The swamp turtle goes wintering at the end of October.It dugs itself into the water bottom or into the dross or if ithasn't got another chance it goes under the ice.Depending on the weather it gets active again in March orApril.In summer only the oviparous females leave the waterotherwise they don’t leave the water except for theriverbank.They feed from water with various arthropoda, amphibians andmollusks. They chop up their prey with their sharp mandible.Their movement is clumsy when on dry land but in water they can swimreally well.

The European pond turtle is laying eggs on the banks ofthe rivers in turfs. Unfortunately the turtle nests are oftendug out by wolves or foxes. The European pond turtle isousted by the red eared slider in all Europe. Unfortunatelythe people pollute their natural habitat so their number hasbeen declining. In Hungary the European pond turtles number is stabile now.

Did you know? Our ancestors really appreciated the

turtle’s meat. The turtle can live up for 120 years.