Book 32, Question 33
How can a pond turtle stay under frozen water all winter?
Some turtles, like painted turtles, spend the winter underwater at the bottom of a pond.
In the cold, their bodies slow down so much that they need very little oxygen. They can take in oxygen from the water through thin skin, especially around the tail end. Ice may cover the pond above, but the water near the bottom stays just above freezing. Don’t walk on ice.
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Quick answers
How can a pond turtle stay under frozen water all winter?
To survive without oxygen, painted turtles break down glycogen.
Source: The Nature Conservancy
More fun facts
- Painted turtles spend most of their time in ponds and slow-moving freshwater and a sheet of ice doesn’t stop them, it only slows them down.
- North American ponds change drastically from summer to winter, so painted turtles follow suit.
- Snapping turtles use many of the same winter survival techniques as painted turtles.
- Pond water temperatures remain quite stable over the winter and an ectotherm sitting in that water will have a similarly stable body temperature.
- Snapping turtles and painted turtles tolerate this stressful situation by switching their metabolism to one that doesn't require oxygen.
Sources: The Nature Conservancy, National Geographic, PBS