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Western Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta bellii
Western population - Endangered

Description
Range
Habitat Needs
Threats
Conservation Information for Private Landowners
How To Help
What we Are Doing at SSIC
2009 Western Painted Turtle Activities
Additional Links

Description

The Western Painted Turtle can reach up to 10 inches in length, with females often being larger than males. Hatchling turtles can be as small as a loonie! The plastron (underbelly) of the turtles is often a bright reddish-orange colour with a distinctive black branching blotch on the belly. The carapace upper shell)is usually black, olive or brownish in colour. The head and limbs of the turtles are generally blackish-olive in colour with yellow line markings.

For a Western Painted Turtle Identification Guide, visit the Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) site:
http://www.hat.bc.ca/attachments/Turtle-IDGuide-May2008.pdf

Range

The Western Painted Turtle is a relatively common turtle throughout much of its range. In Canada, there are three subspecies which extend from Ontario westward to British Columbia. In BC, the Western Painted Turtle subspecies (Chrysemys picta belli) can be found, with the Pacific Coast population being currently listed as endangered. This population includes turtles in the Fraser River Valley and Lower Mainland, as well as small populations on Vancouver Island and some of the Gulf Islands, including Salt Spring Island.

Habitat Needs

This freshwater species of turtle requires wetland habitat in low elevation forests and grasslands. The wetland habitat must have muddy bottoms, abundant vegetation and basking sites (such as logs). The basking sites are important places for the turtles to thermoregulate so that they warm up and have enough energy to forage, mate, and lay their eggs. The adult turtles lie dormant on the substrate of muddy ponds and lakes during winters. They also use the wetlands for mating and foraging. For more information, see our Species At Risk page.

Threats

Like many species, the Western Population of the Western Painted Turtle is facing many threats to its survival.

1. Loss of wetland habitat:
   In many areas, development and agriculture are a major cause of habitat loss through alteration or destruction of wetland habitats.
2. Non-native turtles:
   Introduced species of turtles, such as the Red-eared Slider, cam compete with native turtles for resources and habitat. They can also spread disease to wild native populations. Red-eared sliders are often sold in the pet trade, and should never be released back into the wild in an area where they do not naturally occur.
3. Loss of nesting sites (upland habitat):
   Land surrounding wetlands is important for female nesting sites, as well as dispersal of turtles to and from the wetlands. This type of upland habitat can be lost or degraded from human encroachment and development, and from invasive species (such as nonnative grasses, blackberry bushes, Scotch Broom). Too much dense vegetation makes it difficult to dig nests, while shading out the nests as well.
4. Loss of Basking Sites:
   Removal of logs from wetlands is the primary cause of loss of basking sites. Turtles require basking sites so that they can get out of the water and warm themselves in the sun so that they have enough energy to do other important activities like feeding, mating, and laying eggs.

5. Road Traffic:
   Roads close to wetlands often lead to roadkills for so many species associated with wetlands, including turtles. Roads also open up access to wetlands, not only to human disturbance, but to increased predation as well. Turtles lay their eggs within 150 metres of a wetland usually, so increased foot traffic can disturb their nesting sites, and increased predator access can lead to a failed nest.
6. Invasive Species:
   Turtle populations can be affected by invasive species, such as Bullfrogs, which can predate on turtle hatchlings, as well as native amphibian populations.

Conservation Information for Private Landowners

If you think you may have Western Painted Turtles in your area, there are several things you can do to potentially enhance their habitat and assist in long-term conservation efforts of this and other wetland species.

1. Install or create basking sites:
   Turtles require basking sites to thermoregulate in order to acheive a number of activities such as digestion, mating, and egg-laying. Floating logs, docks, or platforms make great basking sites for turtles. They should be anchored away from the waterʼs edge, and with one end sloping into the water slightly, for easy access by the turtles. Logs and other platforms sould always be placed in sunny locations and be partially submerged.
   
2. Enhance or create nesting sites:
   Turtles require upland habitat (adjacent to wetlands, within 150 metres), in which to lay eggs. They generally prefer bare ground with loose, well-drained soils. Remove any invasive, non-native grasses or shrubs, leaving the soil relatively bare. The addition of gravel or sand may be beneficial at some sites, but it is best to contact the SSIC or other professionals for advice on habitat enhancement options
3. Avoid disturbance/Protection of nest sites:
   Disturbances by humans or others, such as predation, can severely impact the success rates of nesting turtles. In some cases, fencing or cages can be placed around a known nesting site to help deter predation. Please contact the SSIC for more information on protecting turtles nesting sites. If you are lucky enough to live in a turtle nesting area, educate your friends, neighbours, and guests about the turtles and their habitat requirements.

How To Help

If you have seen a Western painted Turtle, especially a nesting site, the SSIC are very interested in hearing from you. Over 90% of Salt Spring Island is privately owned, so it is up to concerned landowners like you to be good stewards of the land. To learn more about habitat enhancement options for Western Painted Turltes on your property, please contact the SSIC.

If you have turtles on your property, please leave them undisturbed. It is illegal to handle
wildlife in BC.

• Do not move them to other locations or handle them. Never take a turtle as a pet.
• Teach children and guests to respect the turtles and leave them undisturbed, especially when they are basking or nesting.
• Keep pets away from turtle nesting habitat and basking sites. Dogs can very easily trample or dig up nests inadvertently.
• Slow down when driving by lakes and wetlands, especially between May and July when Western Painted Turtle females may be crossing the roads to search for nesting sites.

What We are Doing at SSIC

The SSIC is monitoring and surveying for turtles in the major water bodies on the island in effort to establish where the Western Painted Turtle populations are nesting and how the populations are doing, as well as whether the introduced Red-eared Slider is present in the lakes and wetlands as well. Red-eared Slider's have a small reddish 'earpatch' on the side of their heads that Western Painted Turtles are lacking. Sliders are generally more yellow on their plastrons (belly) with dark blotches, whereas Western Painted Turtles tend to have a more distinct painted pattern on the plastron, which is more reddish/orange in colour.

2009 Western Painted Turtle Activities

In 2009, we worked closely with landowners, informing them about turtle habitat needs through outreach and education, articles, and site visits. Biologists and volunteers surveyed a number of lakes and ponds to collect information on the distribution of turtles on the island. We also protected nest sites and began habitat enhancement activities for our turtle populations in 2009.


Nest Site Protection

At Stowel Lake, Western Painted Turtles use the public access beach for their communal nesting grounds, laying eggs throughout June. This year, we placed cages over some of the known nesting sites, hoping to alert beach goers of the presence of the nests and to protect the nests from being disturbed. We had a number of local residents who helped to monitor the turtles and who reported nesting sightings. Watch for a beautiful interpretive sign by Briony Penn about the life cycle of the Western Painted Turtle next summer at the beach.

Habitat Enhancement

Available basking sites is often a limiting factor for turtles, as many Salt Spring Island lakes and wetlands have been 'cleaned' out and trees and floating logs have been removed. With the generous help of local landowners and volunteers, we were able to install cedar logs as additional basking sites at two locations for the turtles this year. We plan to install additional logs in the future where there are known Western Painted Turtle populations.

If you would like to report a turtle sighting, please go to our Report a Wildlife Sighting form.

To learn more about becoming a voluntary Western Painted Turtle Steward, please download our Western Painted Turtle Stewardship Agreement (pdf) or visit our Stewardship Agreements page for more information.

Additional Links

For descriptions and photos of Western Painted Turtle, please visit:
http://www.californiaherps.com/turtles/pages/c.p.bellii.html

For information on Western Painted Turtles in British Columbia, please visit:
http://www.bcreptiles.ca/turtles/westernpaint.htm

For a Western Painted Turtle Identification Guide, visit the Habitat Acquisition Trust
(HAT) site:
http://www.hat.bc.ca/attachments/Turtle-IDGuide-May2008.pdf