📸 PhotoPhoto: Christian Ursilva from København, Danmark · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Source
European Pond Turtle
Emys orbicularis (European Pond Turtle · ヨーロッパヌマガメ)
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 Its maximum carapace length of 38 cm is about 1.3 times the long side of an A4 sheet (about 30 cm) (Comparison).
- 💡 Freshwater turtles are hunted for food and medicine and are also kept as pets (benefit to humans noted by ADW).
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
📖 1. Overview
The European Pond Turtle is a small freshwater turtle living in ponds, lakes, and slow streams of Europe. Its IUCN status is Near Threatened (NT) as of 1996.
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
It features yellow spots and streaks scattered over a dark background, with coloration varying greatly among individuals. In juveniles the carapace is rounded and rough, becoming smoother with age.
🔍 3. Ecology & Behavior
A carnivore that catches worms, insects, frogs, and fish underwater, it strikes only when prey moves. It basks on rocks during the day, hibernates in mud during the winter, and lays about 8–10 eggs per clutch on land.
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
No direct record connecting this species to Korea has been found.
📚 Sources & References
- • IUCN Red List NT (1996) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7717/97292665
- • IUCN Red List category NT — latest assessment at iucnredlist.org
- • catalogueoflife.org — 39LXD
- • iucnredlist.org — 97292665
- • wikidata.org — Q187036
- • commons.wikimedia.org — File:Emys orbicularis by Christian Ursilva.jpg
- • animaldiversity.org — Emys orbicularis
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — Andy Wilson · CC0 1.0 (Related taxon silhouette — Chrysemys picta)
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.