European pond turtle
Emys orbicularis
- the only aborigine turtle living in Slovakia
(National Park Tajba) - its diet is made up of earthworms, molluscs,
frogs, tadpoles, insects or ill, wounded fish - the females are bigger with the length of carapax about 16 – 25 cm, the males are 13 – 18 cm big
- it is oviparous, the female lays about 16 – 20 eggs
into sandy soil - the carapax might be brownish red, brownish black, green-black or purely black, decorated by pale
green, yellow or yellow-red points, or short stripes - prefers to live in wetlands, standing or slowly
flowing waters, swamps or meanders, swims and dives very well, likes to sunbathe in sunny coasts - it is considered semi-aquatic species, its carapace resembles to water turtles, but its legs are similar to the legs of terrestrial turtles