Northern Map Turtles
How to identify map turtles
Map turtles are a common sight on larger water bodies in and around Kingston. They may be mistaken as painted turtles but they do not have red lines, instead they only have ‘contoured’ yellow lines on both their shell and neck/face. They will have a yellow spot behind their eye and their carapace (top shell) is serrated at the back. Their carapace also has a ridge. Male map turtles range from 9-16 cm in length and females are 18-27 cm in length.
This map turtle is shedding its scutes as it grows
This turtle was part of a research study and has be 'marked' with an identifying code (seen as small holes in some of the scutes)
An injured map turtle on the way to Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre
About Map Turtles
Northern Map turtles like large bodies of water in and around the Great Lakes where they eat crustaceans and mollusks. Similar to painted turtles, the Northern Map turtle enjoys basking on logs.
The Northern Map turtle is listed as Special Concern.
Clutch and Incubation Facts: 7-23 eggs that will hatch in 60-90 days, although hatchlings often overwinter in the nest (remain in the nest until spring).