Blanding’s Turtles

How to identify Blanding’s Turtles

Blanding’s turtles can be found in Kingston, but they are not as common and harder to find. The easiest way to identify them is by their bright yellow chin and throat (underside of neck). They also have a highly domed carapace (top shell) that may have white or yellow spots. Their plastron (bottom shell) is yellow with dark black blotches on each scute (section). These turtles range from 12-27 cm in length.

About Blanding’s Turtles

Blanding’s turtles are also known as the smiling turtle! These turtles are semi-aquatic and spend lots of time on land migrating between seasonal habitats. In fact, the home range of this turtle can be very large and can include several types of habitat.

Partially related to their need for a larger habitat and their tendency to migrate on land, these turtles are Threatened in Ontario and considered Endangered in Nova Scotia.

Clutch and Incubation Facts: 4-13 eggs that will hatch in 60-90 days.