Native Turtle Yard

Welcome to the Native Turtle Yard at the Toledo Zoo. This beautiful space is designed to resemble a native wetland habitat.

The exhibit features a reflective pond lined with smooth stones and large rocks as well as logs stretching across the water, providing basking spots for turtles. There is a metal sculpture of three turtles perched on a stone near the pond’s edge, mimicking how turtles would rest on a warm day.

The plants in the exhibit are native to Northwest Ohio. In the wild these plants provide food and shelter to turtles.

Aquatic turtles spend the colder months at the bottom of the pond nestled in mud and leaf litter, while box turtles burrow into piles of leaves and other materials on land to stay warm. As spring arrives they begin to wake up from their winter rest. As the weather warms, box turtles emerge to eat and bask in the sun. Aquatic turtles may be found resting together in the sun on top of logs.

Some of the species in this exhibit include box turtles which are terrestrial, meaning they spend most of their time on land. They have a domed shell that is brown to black with yellow or orange blotches to help them blend in with fallen leaves. They also have a hinge on their shell that allows them to tuck their head and arms inside and close it for protection. Males have red eyes and females have brown.

In the water or on the logs you may see painted turtles which have dark shells with bright yellow, red or orange markings on their bodies that look like they were painted on. Blanding’s turtles have a bright yellow throat and chin with a mouth shape that makes it appear as if they are always smiling. Other species you may see are red-eared sliders, spotted turtles and musk turtles. Snapping turtles are also found in Ohio but they are not good neighbors for the other species in the native turtle pond.

Turtles are creatures of habit, often following the same paths for food, water and shelter their entire lives. Habitat destruction and urban development have made these essential resources harder to find. As roads and buildings replace wetlands and forests, turtles face increasing obstacles.

Young turtles have an especially tough start in life. Their small size makes them easy prey for animals like raccoons, opossums and snakes. Turtle eggs are also vulnerable which is why their survival rate is so low. Despite these challenges, conservation efforts like the work being done here at the Toledo Zoo are helping support turtle populations.

The Toledo Zoo Conservation Department is actively researching native turtle species through mark-recapture techniques in local woodlands and marshes. This research helps biologists assess population sizes, health and distribution. Radio telemetry is used to track turtle movements and habitat use, with harmless transmitters attached to their shells for monitoring. These efforts provide crucial data to guide conservation strategies.

The Toledo Zoo has a long-term Blanding’s turtle community science program that began in 2014. One of our community science partners collects Blanding’s turtle photos from people in his neighborhood. The patterns on the plastron, or flat underside of the turtle’s shell, are like fingerprints. Pattern-recognition software similar to fingerprint scanners can be used to identify individuals. Over many years these turtle sightings add up and allow us to create mark-recapture histories and generate population estimates. You can even upload a picture of a turtle you see in the wild on our website to contribute to this data.

If you ever see a turtle crossing the road, you can safely move it to the other side in the direction it was heading. Many turtles, especially females, cross roads in search of nesting sites.

Thank you for visiting the Native Turtle Yard. We hope you enjoyed learning about these incredible reptiles and how we can work together to protect them. Be sure to check our daily schedule for times when staff may be here for turtle feeding demonstrations and to answer questions.