Emys orbicularis - hibernating

Description:

2012-01-29 Lower Austria, district Gnserndorf, Danube National ParkThe European Pond Turtle remains in torpor when temperatures fall significantly below around 5 Celsius, but they don't stick to the mud and ground of ponds, as most people think (me too, I also thought so). It has been proven by zoologists that movement under the ice is nothing extraordinary at all, as I was told by Maria Schindler (from Danube National Park management, Emys preservation department): European Pond Turtles moving slowly under the ice are a normal occurrence - only thing is that it is difficult to make such observations, as you don't usually have ice as clear as we had this year, also ice could be covered by snow. Also, of course, this species is rather rare even in the National Park, so observations aren't an everyday occurrence even under best conditions.The only special thing about this shot then is that I was lucky finding some under clear ice, and even more so, as Maria Schindler told me, that not only grown-ups but also adolescent turtles were gathered here (a whole "family", so to speak).