Native Turtle Yard

Welcome explorers to the Native Turtle Yard at the Toledo Zoo! This exhibit is very similar to the ponds and wooded areas you may find in parks and neighborhoods here in Northwest Ohio.

In the center of the exhibit there is a pond lined with smooth stones and large rocks, as well as logs stretching across the water, providing spots for turtles to soak up the sun. 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 found in Northwest Ohio. In the wild, these provide food and shelter to turtles.

Here in Ohio, turtles need to have special adaptations to help them survive the changing weather of the seasons.

Aquatic turtles, or turtles that spend most of their time in the water, spend the colder months at the bottom of the pond, buried in mud and fallen leaves. Box turtles, who prefer to spend their time on land, burrow into piles of leaves and other materials to stay warm. As spring arrives, they start to wake up from their winter rest. As the weather warms, box turtles begin emerging to eat and bask in the sun. Aquatic turtles may be found resting together in the sun on top of logs.

To the far right of the exhibit under trees and fallen leaves, you may find Box turtles. These turtles have a domed shell that is brown to black in color with yellow or orange blotches to help them blend in with the fallen leaves. They also have a hinge on their shell, like a door, 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, there may be Painted turtles, which have a dark shell with bright yellow, red or orange colors 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. A few other species you may see are Red-eared sliders, Spotted turtles and Musk (or stinkpot) turtles. Snapping turtles can also be found in our part of Ohio, but they aren’t good neighbors for the other species in the native turtle pond.

Thank you for exploring our Native Turtle Yard here at the Toledo Zoo. We hope you discovered something new about these amazing, shelled creatures. Enjoy the rest of your adventure at the Toledo Zoo!