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Turtles, like all reptiles, are ectotherms, meaning they use the environment to control body temperature rather than burn energy to regulate their temperature themselves. So to keep from freezing in the winter, turtles shelter in places where the temperature stays just above freezing and essentially hibernate. For ectotherms it’s called brumation.

In Wyoming, aquatic turtles spend the winter underwater and below ice in ponds that don't freeze solid.  Because their metabolism is so low when brumating, they require only small amounts of oxygen which they can get through parts of their skin with lots of blood vessels, like the inside of their mouth and even their rear ends

Wyoming is home to three native aquatic turtle species, the eastern spiny softshell, snapping turtle, and western painted turtle, and one land turtle, the plains (ornate) box turtle. 

 

Wendy A. Estes-Zumpf
Herpetological Coordinator

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