Young Animals - Pond Turtle

The third numismat in the Young Animals series, presenting the most beautiful and interesting species of world fauna, bears an image of the pond turtle.

Obverse:
A stylized image of the national emblem of the Republic of Poland, partly covered by the head of an eagle. Along the rim an inscription: MŁODE ZWIERZĘTA / MENNICA POLSKA 2010 (YOUNG ANIMALS / MINT OF POLAND 2010).

Reverse:
An image of a young pond turtle. In the background an image of water vegetation. Along the rim an inscription: ŻÓŁW BŁOTNY / EMYS ORBICULARIS (POND TURTLE / EMYS ORBICULARIS)

The pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a species belonging to the family of the Emydidae. In its natural environment it can live up to 100 years. It can reach the maximum length of 20 cm and the weight of 1 kg. The pond turtle is a species living in water, mainly in lowland regions. Its habitats are small, overgrown ponds, barely accessible old river beds and slow flowing streams with the banks covered with rich vegetation. The female lays eggs between May and June. She places 6–16 of them in a burrow underground, makes sure the nest is not easily visible and returns to the pond. Young turtles hatch at the end of August, and sometimes even as late as in the spring of the following year. After hatching, they reach the nearest pond or stream. In the first years of their lives they are very susceptible to attacks by predators, as their shells become hard as late as after 6 years. The pond turtle is carnivorous, feeding on water animals. It can remain underwater for up to one hour. It is easily frightened, and being a perfect swimmer and diver, capable of sensing any approaching creatures, it is therefore rarely encountered. It spends winters hidden deep in the mud at the bottom of a pond for about 5 months. It lives in the southern and central part of Europe, in the west of Asia as well as in the north-west of Africa. In Poland it is very rare – only a few habitats of the pond turtle have been discovered. It is a strictly protected species, entered into the Polish Red List of Animal Species and marked as EN, which denotes endangered species.