Chillin'

In the boat basin where we keep the pontoon boat we often see turtles basking just below the surface.


This is a map turtle just chillin' in the afternoon sun.
No ipod, I guess they aren't water proof.


Graptemys geographica

Seen up close, the fine light lines on the carapace of the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) look like contour lines on a topographic map. But more likely, your view of this species will be brief and distant, since it is extremely wary and will dive at the slightest provocation.

Females are much larger than males and have powerful jaws that they use to crush molluscs with. The smaller males eat mostly aquatic insect larvae.

Female northern map turtles may take more than 10 years to reach maturity.

sources - Ontario Nature, Royal Ontario Museum

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