Graptemys geographica
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica), also known as the common map turtle, is an aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. It is endemic to North America. The northern map turtle gets both its common and scientific names from the markings on its carapace, which resemble contour lines on a map or chart. These lines are usually shades of yellow, tan, or orange, and are surrounded by dark borders, with the rest of the carapace being olive or greyish brown. However, the carapace markings tend to fade as the animal matures, and in older individuals are usually only visible when the shell is wet. The carapace has a hydrodynamic appearance and is broad with a moderately low keel. The rear of the carapace is flared and the rear marginals form serrations. The plastron is yellowish and is marked by a central dark blotch (plastral figure) that follows the sutures of the plastral scutes and fades with age so that many adults lack a pattern all together (i.e., the plastron is immaculate). The head, neck, limbs and tail are dark green with thin yellow stripes, and an oval or triangular spot is located behind each eye. Like other map turtles, this species exhibits extreme... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shedd Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Ecomuseum Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Cape May County Park & Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Saint Louis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Schönbrunn Zoo | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 7 | Henry Vilas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | National Aviary | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Snake Discovery: A Reptile Experience | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | St. Louis Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Map Turtle sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 55 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 9th most-seen of the 11 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Map Turtle in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–March, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Map Turtle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Northern Map Turtle sightings, Chicago ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Detroit (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Emydidae
The closest relatives of the Northern Map Turtle that you can see in Chicago (family Emydidae, Pond and Box Turtles) are Pond Slider (about 30%) and Painted Turtle (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Map Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Chicago (55 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
