There are two species of turtle with populations in the Okanagan Valley.
Western Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii)
Status in the Okanagan
- Indigenous
- At Risk
- Special Concern (Blue List)
How to Identify
- Yellow stripes on head and neck
- Smooth dark carapace (top of the shell)
- Red plastron (underside of the shell)
Red-eared Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Status in the Okanagan
- Exotic
- Invasive
- Indigenous to Southeast United States, Mexico, Central America and Brazil
How to Identify
- Red stripes behind each eye
- Yellow plastron (underside of the shell)