As we humans warm ourselves with space heaters, coats and gloves, western painted turtles are at the bottom of our region’s ice-covered ponds, streams and creeks. Sometimes they can be seen through ...

The Pacific Northwest has two native freshwater turtles, the Western painted turtle and the Western pond turtle. The pond turtle, found on the West Side, is state-listed as endangered in Washington.

In the dark, frigid months of winter, painted turtle hatchlings hunker down in shallow, icy nests where they enter a state of suspended animation. 1 Their hearts stop beating; their metabolisms slow ...