Friends of Murphys Point Park

Hi Everyone,

Turtles all the way down! Throughout this past week, both Sarah and Liam have experienced the opportunity to take part in Turtle Surveying, as we have discovered that the key to winning any race is to be slow and steady. This week, the Turtles have slowly won over our hearts and we will be discussing all things turtles and nesting! Here at Murphys Point, there are a total of 5 different species of Turtles, can you tell the difference? 

• Painted Turtle  

The Painted Turtle is the most commonly seen species at Murphys Point. These medium sized Turtles have a dark colored top shell and a bottom shell that can vary in color depending on the subspecies. They feature red markings along the edges of their shells and typically lay their eggs in sunny, open areas with sandy or loamy soil, about 4 to 10 inches deep. A single nest can hold anywhere from 4 to 14 eggs!

• Northern Map Turtle

The Northern Map Turtle is easily recognized by the distinctive yellow lines on its olive to brown upper shell, which resemble contour lines on a map. These Turtles prefer large bodies of water, often basking near fallen trees or other natural debris. Their nests are usually located in sandy, well-drained areas close to lakes or rivers. Northern Map Turtles typically lay between 9 and 17 eggs in a single nesting season. Additionally, they are the second most commonly observed Turtle species at Murphys Point.

• Common Snapping Turtle 

Known for being the largest freshwater Turtle in Canada with an upper shell resembling a tan, olive, or black colour typically covered in algae, Common Snapping Turtles are typically found in shallow ponds or streams where there are high levels of aquatic vegetation. This species of Turtle lay a large clutch of eggs ranging from 25 to 45 eggs within open and sandy areas throughout late May and June. Each Common Snapping Turtle egg resembles to around the size of a ping pong ball. This species of Turtle is the third most spotted Turtle at Murphys Point.

• Blanding’s Turtle

The Blanding Turtle is a semi-aquatic species from the Emydidae family. This medium-sized Turtle is easily identifiable by its bright yellow chin and dark black carapace, which is marked with yellow speckled streaks. Blanding Turtles dig nests where they typically lay between 3 and 25 eggs before returning to the water. These nests are often found in sunny, well-drained areas, sometimes quite far from their aquatic habitats. Notably, Blanding Turtles show few signs of aging and are rarely seen at Murphys Point. 

• Eastern Musk Turtle

The Eastern Musk Turtle is the last turtle species found at Murphys Point. Belonging to the Kinosternidae family, these small Turtles are usually black, gray, or brown, with a highly domed shell and distinctive yellow and green stripes running from the tip of their nose to their neck. Eastern Musk Turtles typically lay their eggs in shallow, decaying vegetation found under logs or even along road shoulders. Their nests generally contain between 1 and 9 eggs.

Now that you know the difference between the 5 different species of Turtles, we look forward to hearing about your turtle encounters this summer. We absolutely love all of the Turtles here at Murphys Point Provincial Park!