Wood Turtle (Clemmys insculpta)

County List:

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

      River
   adjacent to:
      Lowland Brush
   containing:
      Dead Down Woody Debris

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Wood turtles occur in and near rivers and streams of the north woods. They prefer streams with sandy bottoms and avoid rocky sections with fast current. These turtles often bask on logs or grassy banks. They may wander through adjacent swamps, woods, and meadows, especially in summer, but are never far from moving water. Most wood turtles inhabit a rather small home range, living much of their lives (40 years) within a few acres.

Wood turtles feed (both in and out of water) on insects, worms, slugs, snails, carrion, algae, berries, willow leaves, and numerous other items.

Eggs laid in sunny open location.

Habitat: Frequents slow-moving meandering streams with sandy bottoms and overhanging alders. Basks during morning hours along banks of streams. Disperses from water sources during summer months to fields, woods, and roadsides. Restricted to hardwood forest areas in New Jersey; pine barrens areas, Rhode Island.

Returns in fall to streams to hibernate in muddy banks and bottoms through late March to April. Have been found hibernating in holes in stream banks, in decaying vegetation of woods and trout streams with deep pools. Will also use abandoned muskrat burrows; some use same hibernaculum each year.

Eggs laid in prepared depressions in open areas with sandy soils or gravel, not necessarily near water.

Special Habitat Requirements: Wooded river banks; open sandy nesting areas.

Habitat: Although most authors agree that this turtle may be found far from water at times, its preferred habitat is riparian areas. Slower moving streams are favored, with sandy bottoms an important requisite. Wooded or heavily vegetated stream banks are of special importance, and heavy disturbances or losses of these riparian areas are probably an important reason for the decline in the abundance of the wood turtle. The stream and riparian areas provide for several special requirements of this animal. The bottoms and muddy banks provide hibernating sites for over-wintering turtles, and sandy or gravelly stream banks are used for building a nest and laying eggs. Sandy, gravelly places away from water may also be used at times. Banks and mid-stream logs and rocks are often used as sunning sites.