Painted Turtle

Also known as Eastern Painted Turtle, Western Painted Turtle, Midland Painted Turtle, Southern Painted Turtle

Painted turtles are iconic freshwater reptiles recognized by the vibrant yellow, orange, or red markings along their neck, legs, and dark smooth carapace. On sunny days, long lines of these turtles assemble on floating logs or rocks, carefully positioning themselves to absorb heat and eliminate parasites. During cold winter months, adults burrow into mud at the bottoms of ponds and breathe through specialized tissues in their cloaca.