The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is Georgia’s native freshwater turtle. It is neither a land tortoise nor the introduced red-eared slider. The species is confirmed in Georgia; different subspecies are listed for the western and eastern parts of the country. It has no venom. In Caucasian populations the shell is often under 16 cm. IUCN lists the species globally as Near Threatened. It is not included in Georgia’s 2014 Red List.
Identification
How to identify European Pond Turtle
The European pond turtle is a native water turtle with a low, often dark shell and yellow speckling. A high domed shell points more to a land tortoise; a broad red stripe behind the eye points to the introduced red-eared slider.
Often confused with
The European pond turtle’s shell is low and oval, not high and domed. The colour is usually dark olive, brown, or black, often with yellow dots or short streaks on the surface. The lower shell is paler. One feature that helps separate it from the Caspian turtle is the movable plastron hinge found in Emys.
The head, neck, and legs are dark and often covered with yellowish dots or short streaks. There is no broad red stripe behind the eye. The feet are webbed. In Caucasian Kura-basin forms, shell length is usually under 16 cm, with a described maximum of about 18 cm. This page does not have full separate measurements for the western Georgian population. Males are often smaller than females, with a longer tail and a more concave lower shell.
The European pond turtle can resemble several other turtles. The Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca) has a high domed shell and legs adapted for walking on land. The introduced red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) often shows a broad red stripe behind the eye. The Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica), found in southeastern Georgia, often has pale lengthwise stripes on the neck, and its shell is usually more striped than speckled.
The European pond turtle is not venomous. If you see one in nature, watch it and leave it in place; there is no need to pick it up. In city ponds it is especially important to rule out the introduced red-eared slider, including in Tbilisi and Batumi.
The European pond turtle is native and confirmed in Georgia. Western Georgia is listed for Emys orbicularis orbicularis, while eastern Georgia is listed for E. o. persica. Named western localities include Poti and the Colchic coastal wetlands. The species is confirmed in eastern Georgia too, though the map used on this page does not cover specific eastern regions.
Gallery
European Pond Turtle in photos
The European pond turtle lives in still or slow-moving fresh water — ponds, lakes, marshes, oxbows, and slow rivers. It especially favours vegetated banks. Females move onto land to lay eggs and often nest in sunny, sandy places. Confirmed western Georgian localities include Poti and the Colchic coastal wetlands. The shore and dunes by Churia Fen are also described as nesting areas. The species is also confirmed in eastern Georgia, though this page does not have a full municipality list for the east. These sources do not give an exact elevation range for Georgia.
Biology
Diet, behavior, and conservation
Diet
The European pond turtle is omnivorous and finds much of its food in water. It eats invertebrates, small fish, amphibians, and plant material. At species level, juveniles are known to eat more animal food, while adults take relatively more plants. This page does not cite a detailed diet study for the Georgian population.
Behavior
By day the European pond turtle often leaves the water and basks on a bank, log, or aquatic plants. When threatened, it quickly enters the water. It is mainly aquatic, though females come onto land to lay eggs and turtles may move over land between waterbodies. At species level it often spends winter on the bottom or in mud, but exact seasonal periods for Georgia are not established on this page. Females lay eggs in a terrestrial nest. Broad European data give one to three clutches a year, with about six to nine eggs in each; those data are not specific to Georgia.
Conservation
The European pond turtle is native to Georgia. IUCN lists it globally as Near Threatened, though that assessment is old and needs updating. The 2024 European regional assessment also gives the species NT status. The European pond turtle is not included in Georgia’s 2014 Red List. Important pressures include loss of marshes and other aquatic habitats, shoreline change, and road mortality, especially when turtles move over land. The national population trend is not assessed on this page. Different subspecies are listed for western and eastern Georgia, but sources do not fully agree on Caucasian subspecies classification. A field photo is therefore not a reliable way to assign an individual to a subspecies.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about European Pond Turtle.
Yes. The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a naturally occurring and confirmed native species in Georgia.
The European pond turtle is found in freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes. In western Georgia, named localities include Poti and the Colchic coastal wetlands, including the area around Churia Fen. It is also confirmed in eastern Georgia, though the map used on this page does not fully show the specific eastern regions.
Look for a low, dark shell with yellow speckling, webbed feet, and the absence of a red stripe behind the eye. A high domed shell points more to a land tortoise, while a broad red stripe behind the eye points to a red-eared slider.
In Caucasian Kura-basin forms, shell length is often under 16 cm, and the described maximum is about 18 cm. This page does not have full separate measurements for the western Georgian population.
The red-eared slider is an introduced species. Its best-known form has a broad red stripe behind the eye. The European pond turtle is native to Georgia and does not have that stripe.
The Caspian turtle is found mainly in southeastern Georgia and often has pale lengthwise stripes on the neck. The European pond turtle’s shell is usually darker and often covered with yellow dots or short streaks.
The European pond turtle is not venomous. If picked up or disturbed, it may bite in self-defence. In nature, it is best not to touch it. If bitten, wash the wound well with soap and clean water.
IUCN lists the European pond turtle globally as Near Threatened. It is not included in Georgia’s 2014 Red List.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Fritz 1998 — Introduction to zoogeography and subspecific differentiation in Emys orbicularis
- Turtle Taxonomy Working Group 2021 — Turtles of the World, 9th ed.
- Luiselli & Vamberger 2024 — IUCN Red List, Emys orbicularis (Europe)
- IUCN 1996 — Emys orbicularis (global assessment)
- The Reptile Database — Emys orbicularis
- საქართველოს მთავრობის დადგენილება №190 (2014) — წითელი ნუსხა
- Black Sea Coastal Wetlands Vision — National part, Georgia
- CITES Appendices — Emys orbicularis (Ukraine, Appendix III)
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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