The European pond turtle is a freshwater turtle which lives naturally in France. Up until the 19th century, it occupied large territories throughout Europe, Russia and the North African coast.
Profile
Near Threatened (NT)
Lifestyle
Cistudes breed underwater from late March to early October, laying their eggs in May in a hole dug in the bank. The young emerge from the eggs in September.
Like all cold-blooded animals, cistudes need exposure to the sun to warm up and store energy: this is called thermoregulation.
Distinctive features
The cistude is a freshwater turtle. Its webbed feet and smooth, flattened shell make it easy to move around in the water, distinguishing it from land tortoises and making it an excellent swimmer.
Anecdote
One of only two native aquatic turtles in mainland France, the cistude faces a number of threats, including the drying out and artificialization of ponds, the fragmentation of its habitat, pollution and the introduction of competing species. A National Action Plan (NAP) has been set up to protect the cistude from these threats and restore its living environment. In the Haute-Touche zoological reserve managed by the Muséum, a conservation breeding programme for this turtle has been developed with a view to boosting wild populations. Several releases have already taken place, notably at Lac du Bourget in Savoie.
