What is the most widely distributed freshwater turtle in the wild? 8 Fun Facts About Turtles

The Most Widely Distributed Freshwater Turtle in the Wild

Some friends might say, “The most widely distributed freshwater turtle? It must be the Chinese pond turtle.”

Wrong! It’s the red-eared slider.

The red-eared slider is not only widely distributed abroad but can also be seen in the rivers and lakes of most provinces in China. It is also the most numerous turtle in the world, as well as the cheapest. It is listed as one of the world’s 100 most dangerous invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), so releasing them into the wild is strictly prohibited!

The Largest Freshwater Turtle

The Malaysian giant turtle is the largest freshwater turtle, the “Yao Ming” of the freshwater turtle world! Its weight can typically exceed 50 kilograms, and its carapace length can reach up to 120 centimeters—about the height of a small child! Among freshwater turtles, the Malaysian giant turtle is a moving “turtle-shaped tank” with a maxed-out presence.

The Turtle with the Strongest Climbing Ability

The big-headed turtle, which is also the most aggressive and ill-tempered turtle, can “scale walls and walk on eaves,” climbing trees to “catch birds and eat eggs” and going into rivers to “catch fish and shrimp.” It prefers to be active at night and rests under rocks in mountain streams during the day. It can even consume the fruits of the Machilus genus (evergreen trees) and various plant-based foods. However, it is not tolerant of heat and water pollution; there is a risk of death if the temperature exceeds 30 degrees (86°F). In the wild, its breeding season is from May to September, with females laying 5-6 eggs. When the water temperature drops below 10°C (50°F) in winter, it enters hibernation, often hiding in deep water or stone crevices. It can even climb vertical walls—how impressive is that?

The Best Swimmer Among Turtles

The pig-nosed turtle, also known as the Fly River turtle or Oceanian pig-nosed turtle, is 1 species in the genus Carettochelys under the family Carettochelyidae (a freshwater turtle superfamily). It is the turtle that most resembles a sea turtle and is one of the world’s rarest aquatic turtles. While other turtles breathe with their lungs, the pig-nosed turtle can absorb oxygen through its skin and mouth. As a highly aquatic turtle, the pig-nosed turtle can exchange oxygen in the water through its skin and the lining of its mouth. It spends almost the entire year submerged, just like a “turtle-shaped fish.”Its swimming ability is “insanely good.”It is also a turtle that rests during the day and is active at night.

The Most Interactive Turtle

This question makes me a bit hesitant. Among all the turtles I’ve personally kept, I feel it’s the yellow-margined box turtle. Even as a hatchling, it can show great interactivity. With food, it will come running towards you in a heartbeat, making it a “puppy turtle” of sorts.

The Most Beautiful Semi-Aquatic Turtle

This has to go to the Carolina box turtle, the “beauty icon” among semi-aquatic turtles, and probably the most “dazzling” one. All 6 subspecies are stunning. The Carolina box turtle is also nocturnal, being more active in the early morning and after rain. When the weather is hot, it will hide under rotten logs, leaves, or in mammal burrows to cool down. It hibernates in winter. The mating season lasts from spring to fall. A male may mate with multiple females, and after a successful mating, a female can store fertilized eggs in her body for up to 4 years, making annual mating unnecessary.

The Most Obscure Semi-Aquatic Turtle

Some friends might mention the Yunnan box turtle or the bog turtle here. But I’d argue that while the Yunnan box turtle is rare, it still has a lot of buzz online. As for the bog turtle, one of the smallest turtle species in the world and the smallest in North America, its hatchling price has been hyped up to over 200,000 RMB. That’s not obscure, is it? Therefore, I believe it is the Cochin forest cane turtle, one of the obscure species endemic to India. I have not yet seen one in China, nor have I seen any records of it being kept.

Which Species Did the Ancients Refer to as “Wugui” (Turtle)?

The Chinese pond turtle.

Actually, the term “Wugui” (乌龟） is not a general term for all animals in the order Testudines (Class Reptilia). “Wugui” is the official Chinese name for the Chinese pond turtle. Adult male turtles of this species turn black, which is why they are called “Wu Gui” (乌龟， literally “black turtle”) or “Mo Gui” (墨龟， “ink turtle”). The reason the name “Wugui” has now become a generic term for all turtles is mainly due to its extremely wide distribution in China. The Chinese pond turtle can be found in almost all freshwater basins in southern China, from the Yangtze River basin to the Pearl River basin, and from the Min River system to the lakes of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It is even distributed in neighboring countries such as North Korea and Japan across the sea.

These Chinese pond turtles found in Japan were likely introduced by humans. As for why they grow so large, I personally believe it is due to the island effect (the phenomenon where, on a relatively isolated island, the physical and behavioral traits of a species may differ significantly from their mainland counterparts due to long-term evolution).