Actinemys marmorata
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata), also known commonly as the Pacific pond turtle is a species of small to medium-sized turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the western coast of the United States and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California. It was formerly found in Canada (in British Columbia), but in May 2002, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listed the Pacific pond turtle as being extirpated.
Its genus classification is mixed. Emys and Actinemys were used among published sources in 2010. It was known by several names in the Indigenous languages of its range, including kʰá:wanaka: (Northeastern Pomo), kʰa:wana (Southern Pomo), and ʔaləšək (Lushootseed).
The dorsal color of A. marmorata is usually dark brown or dull olive, with or without darker reticulations or streaking. The plastron is yellowish, sometimes with dark blotches in the centers of the scutes. The straight carapace length is 11–21 cm (4.5–8.5 in). The carapace is low and broad, usually widest behind the middle, and in adults is smooth, lacking a keel or serrations. Adult western pond turtles are sexually dimorphic... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Woodland Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Oregon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Fresno Chaffee Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Santa Barbara Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Sacramento Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Sequoia Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Micke Grove Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Aquarium of the Bay | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Lindsay Wildlife Experience | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Bird Alliance of Oregon | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Portland Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in Yosemite National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Pond Turtle sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 17 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Pond Turtle in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–February, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Pond 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.
Only Yosemite National Park, in our data
Yosemite National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Western Pond Turtle sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Pond Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Yosemite National Park (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
