Fun Black Pond Turtle Facts For Kids

Also popular as the Indian black pond turtle or the spotted pond turtle, Geoclemys hamiltonii is one of the endangered turtle species found in South Asian countries. It can be located in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and India.

Large rivers in northern India are replete with spotted pond turtles.

Places like Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu, West Bengal, and Bihar also boast of these turtles. They have been famous as pets not only in the South Asian countries but have been illegally made available in international pet markets across Western Europe and the USA.

These turtles are also a victim of human activities like uncontrolled agricultural and industrial practices, conversion of land for human settlements leading to water pollution, and degradation of habitat. Not only are they reared as pets, but they are also in high demand for their meat. You can also find one of these turtles in the commercial meat markets.

For more relatable content, check out these soft-shell turtle facts and map turtle facts for kids.

Black Pond Turtle Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a black pond turtle?

The spotted pond turtle (Geoclemys hamiltonii) is an aquatic species of turtle belonging to the Geoemydidae family.

What class of animal does a black pond turtle belong to?

The spotted pond turtles have been grouped under the Reptilia class and Geoclemys genus.

How many black pond turtles are there in the world?

The number of adult turtles of this species has not been quantified currently. Nevertheless, a steady decrease in the population of Geoclemys hamiltonii or the spotted pond turtle has been observed. Since 1980, a sharp dip exceeding 50 percent has been recorded.

Where does a black pond turtle live?

The species can be found in the South Asian countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and India. However, the population varies from common to rare depending on the area.

For instance, in the protected regions of Kaziranga, spotted pond turtles are frequently occurring, whereas, in the extensive regions of Bangladesh, an abrupt decline in population has been witnessed. The spotted pond turtles frequent the river basins of Brahmaputra, Indus, and Ganga.

What is a black pond turtle's habitat?

The black pond turtle habitat range comprises rivers, streams, freshwater lakes, ponds, as well as water storage. They prefer to inhabit shallow water bodies with dense vegetation, especially reed beds.

Who do black pond turtles live with?

Similar to all other turtles, the spotted pond turtle prefers to remain unaccompanied. The species is known to exhibit an unsocial behavior, but during the breeding season, the turtles stick to their partners for a brief period.

How long does a black pond turtle live?

Normally a turtle survives for a long time. The black pond turtle age normally ranges from 15 - 20 years in captivity. The black pond turtle lifespan depends on factors like availability of food, habitat, and others.

How do they reproduce?

The ideal time for breeding commences from March, stretching till May. During this period, males frantically pursue females. 20 - 30 eggs constitute a clutch, and two clutches can be raised by the females in a year. The second clutch is generally smaller.

What is their conservation status?

The spotted turtle has been classified under Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, owing to its rapidly dwindling numbers.

Black Pond Turtle Fun Facts

What do black pond turtles look like?

Spotted turtles have a medium body size with several yellow spots scattered all over. They have a dark brown to black-colored shell with prominent streaks and small yellow spots, a small snout, and an elevated carapace. Adult males have a small thicker tail.

How cute are they?

Turtles are unimaginably adorable, especially for their docile nature and gentle appearance. Isn't it rewarding to keep staring at a cute baby turtle crawling in slow motion?

How do they communicate?

Turtles interact with each other through sounds and gestures. Although they're known to live solitarily, communication is established mainly during the reproduction period. These sounds are essentially non-vocal low frequency sounds like hissing and grunting. Actions like squirting water and blinking have also been observed during the breeding period.

How big is a black pond turtle?

The black pond turtle size can go up to 16 in (41 cm) carapace length. Usually, the length of the species ranges from 11-12 in (28-30 cm).

In Bangladesh, females measure around 11.8 in (30 cm) while males are smaller with an average length of 11.4 in (29 cm). The green sea turtle, with an average length of 70.8-86.6 in (180-220 cm), is more than double the size of the spotted pond turtles.

How fast can a black pond turtle move?

Turtles are famous for their slow and steady pace. They're not very swift in their movements. Generally, a turtle can acquire a speed of 3-4 mph (5-6 kph). This means you can even go for a comfortable evening walk with your pet turtle!

How much does a black pond turtle weigh?

The weight of a spotted pond turtle can reach up to 13 lb (6 kg). These small-sized turtles possess a moderate weight.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Neither sexes have special attributions to their names and are generally called male and female turtles, respectively.

What would you call a baby black pond turtle?

A baby spotted pond turtle is regarded as a hatchling. After hatching, the baby climbs out of the nest and scuttles away to the nearby waterbody.

What do they eat?

The spotted turtles are known to be omnivorous, but they have carnivorous tendencies feeding primarily on several freshwater crustaceans, insects, snails, and even dragonfly larvae. The diet also comprises vegetative matter.

Are they poisonous?

Turtles are not venomous. However, they carry germs that might get transmitted through physical contact.

Also, consuming turtle meat can be risky in some cases. For instance, in the Tonga Islands of the South Pacific Ocean, 18 people suffered due to toxicity after feeding on the meat of hawksbill turtle. Otherwise, turtles are often reared as pets owing to their harmless nature.

Would they make a good pet?

The spotted pond turtle is believed to be a magnificent semi-aquatic pet, but maintaining the species can be pretty tasking. Although the idea of rearing a turtle can be thrilling, these endangered reptiles must not be detached from their natural habitat.

Did you know...

The term 'hamiltonii' has been derived from Francis Hamilton, a Scottish ichthyologist, and botanist.

In Northern India, you can find spotted turtles in the Girwa and Gomti rivers of Uttar Pradesh.

Where are black pond turtles from?

Spotted pond turtles can be traced in the northern and northeastern parts of the Indian subcontinent. They inhabit lentic water bodies. They can be located in the river drainage of Ganga and Indus.

Keeping black pond turtles

Since most of the Indian aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles have entered the threshold of vulnerability, trading in or hunting turtles have been illegalized via Endangered Species Act. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has been passed and enforced by the Indian government since 1975.

The act prohibits and penalizes any commercial or international trading of the spotted pond turtles.

Nevertheless, the spotted pond turtles are readily available in the pet trade. If you wish to maintain one as your pet, you must bear in mind that these semi-aquatic reptiles require lots of care, and their maintenance can be costly.

Special attention needs to be given to the dietary requirements and habitat. These turtles have greater longevity in outdoor environments with lakes, ponds, or water storage. It must be noted that they're not very sturdy swimmers and might even drown in deep waters.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these monitor lizard facts and red-bellied black snake facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable turtle coloring pages.

Second image by Davidvraju.