Nova Scotia Turtles

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Nova Scotia Turtles
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BY NICOLE HUGHES
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Turtles in general

• Turtles are reptiles and when you hear the word
  turtle you might just think of shell.There is
  about 7different kinds of turtles in Nova
  Scotia.But there is about 200 different kinds in
  the whole world..Three of these turtles in Nova
  Scotia are giant marine turtles like the Atlantic
  Loggerhead,Atlantic Ridley and Atlantic
  leatherback.Most of these turtles are seen from
  boats and caught in fishing gear.

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Fresh water turtles

• Some People call fresh water turtles Terrapins
  and the turtles that live just on the land are
  called tortoises.But I just like to call them
  turtles.Adult turtles have only a few enemies.

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Eastern painted turtle

• This is the most common and most color full
  turtle in Nova Scotia .This turtles shell is
  basically green with a yellow stripe down the
  middle and yellow edges around the shell
  plates.You can find painted turtles in plant
  filled ponds,lakes and streams.They are often
  seen in groups basking on logs and rocks.Painted
  turtles like to eat insects snails and lily pads.

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More about the painted turtle

• Painted turtles dig there nests along road sides
  or in cultivated field as well as sand at the
  beach.The hatchlings will hatch some time in the
  fall. Also Adults hibernate at the bottom of
  ponds.

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The wood turtle

• Turtle lovers will tell you that this is the
  smartest most alert turtle in the province.Its
  shell has a wood kind of look to it so they call
  it the wood turtle some people call this turtle
  the mud turtle.

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More on the wood turtle

• In 1996 the wood turtle was added to the
  vulnerable section at the list of animals at
  risk.VULNERABLE means the species is of special
  concern because of its sensitivity to human
  activities or natural events .

• Wood turtles in nova Scotia are being monitored
  by Turtle Watch an informal network of
  concerned scientists and citizens.

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The Atlantic leatherback turtle

• This turtle has a very smooth shell that is how
  most people can tell it is a leatherback
  turtle.The turtles shell is often brown or black
  but some have white blotches. Atlantis leather
  backs are the largest turtles in the world

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More on leatherback turtles

• Adult leatherback turtles range from 137 to 178
  cm in length and weigh 295 to 544 kg. Larger
  turtles are uncommon.Some turtles get very sick
  when they eat jelly fish. The leather back
  turtle is the most seen turtle in Nova Scotia
  waters.Leather back turtles are now known as
  endangered in Canadian waters.It is very sad now
  turtles are captured and used for meat and they
  use there skins and shells for commercially.

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The snapping turtle

• The snapping turtle is the biggest fresh water
  turtle.If molested it will attack you and it
  could cause a painful bite. So it would be better
  if you just leave them alone. You can find them
  in shallow lakes and streams.

snapping turtles are very gentle animals so you
should leave them in their habitat
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More on the snapping turtle

• They hibernate underwater in the winter. In Nova
  Scotia snappers are most common in the south
  west. Snappers only come on land to lay their
  eggs in late June and early July.

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Atlantic Ridley turtle

• The Atlantic Ridley has a heart shaped shell
  also all turtles shells can be called the
  carapace.This is the smallest species of marine
  turtles found in our waters Adults usually
  range from 58 to 70 cm in length and weight from
  36 to 45 kg .There are 4 records of Atlantic
  Ridley in Nova Scotia waters.All marine turtles
  are considered endangered species.

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More on the Atlantic Ridley

• Two juveniles were collected in 1910 one near
  the LaHave islands in Lunenburg county and one
  at spry Harbour, Halifax county and more around
  the same area.

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The Blanding turtle

• This turtles favorite habitat is plant filled
  coves and bogs of lakes where they are seen
  basking on some moss.They eat carrion as well as
  insects and snails.like snapping turtles they
  also have long necks which can be with drawn
  into the shell inside.Blanding turtles are often
  called box turtles but it is not very accurate .

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More on the Blanding turtle

• Recent study of blanding turtles by researchers
  at Acaidia University and Kejimkujik National
  Park has helped to understand the life history of
  this kind of turtle

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The End
thankyou very much for listening to my
information on turtles