The animal collection of the Regional Landscape Park Feldman Ecopark is enriched with the third common snapping turtle.
“The animal was given by a private owner,” Feldman Ecopark’s deputy director of zootechnics Valeriia Ivashchenko told. “When a turtle grew up and the owners understood that it is difficult for them to take care of it, they decided to give it to Ecopark for the turtle to get the necessary care and living conditions.”
The turtle feels fine; however, the specialists were forced to put it on a diet because of the excess weight. The special terrarium for the new resident is currently constructed in the Ecopark, Valeriia Ivashchenko informed.
The common snapping turtle is a large representative of the species with the shell of up to 35cm and the weight of up to 14kg. The natural habitat is North America. The common snapping turtles live near water bodies of various locations in both the steppes and the mountains at the height of up to 2,000m. They are able to bear cold weather by bedding in the mud at the bottom of water bodies, when the air temperature falls below zero. The ability to get oxygen with their skin allows these amphibians to spend months under the water during hibernation.
There have already been two common snapping turtles in the animal collection of Feldman Ecopark before. The total of 45 turtles representing 10 species lives here.
