Wildlife spotlight: Blanding’s turtle

With their vibrant yellow throats and chins, spotted shells, and upturned mouths that seem to smile at you, Blanding’s turtles are an iconic species of Illinois’ wetlands. These creatures are not only visually striking, they also lead long lives – upwards of 70 years. Unfortunately these native Illinois turtles are also endangered in the state and their struggle highlights the importance of protecting healthy and connected habitats.

Wetland wonders

Blanding’s turtles are freshwater reptiles that inhabit wetlands full of vegetation and muddy bottoms. They have a very wide range of preferred habitats which includes ponds, marshes, shrub swamps, bogs, and ditches and streams with slow-moving water. Similar to their habitat choices, Blanding’s turtles are known to be opportunists in their diet. They vary their food source by season and location, feeding both on land and in water. Some of the many things they eat include snails, crayfish, tadpoles, earthworms, leeches, insects, fish, frogs, and plant material. 

The Traveling Turtle

Even though turtles are thought of as pretty stationary and slow animals, female Blanding’s turtles frequently take an epic journey across the wetlands. Although only 5 to seven inches in length, they often travel up to long distances in search of the ideal nesting site. Blanding’s turtles are known to travel longer distances than other aquatic turtles. On average, an individual Blanding’s turtle will move between 6.5 different wetlands annually, with some individuals visiting as many as 20 in just one year. 

Sadly, this journey has become increasingly difficult. Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss is a major reason behind the species’ state endangered status. Roads and railways also threaten Blanding’s turtle populations. In Illinois, Blanding’s turtles only occupy 22% of their historic range.

What is a wetland?

Wetlands come in different forms: marshes, prairie potholes, forested swamps and fens to name a few. But all wetlands have the presence of water for all or part of the year, hydrophytic plants that are adapted to specific water conditions and soils that have specific properties due to being repeatedly or consistently waterlogged or flooded for at least two weeks during growing seasons called hydric soils.

Healthy wetlands act like the kidneys of the ecosystem, filtering out pollution and helping to support clean water.

Wetlands also support incredible biodiversity. Blanding’s aren’t the only turtles that find their food and habitat in Illinois’ wetlands. The nature of wetlands results in great volumes of food for animal species, supporting a vibrant food web.

Blanding’s turtles and other wildlife need our help

Blanding’s turtles are one species on a long list of endangered animals that depend on Illinois wetlands and connected habitats to thrive. But, their habitats are fading away, and they need our help to stop this. Illinois only has around 10% of our historic wetlands. We must protect the wetlands we have left and invest in supporting the Blanding’s turtles’ journey to ensure their population can carry on.