Emys orbicularis (4809' N 1632' E)

Description:

2010.05.28 Vienna XXII. (heath 155 m AMSL).German name: Europische SumpfschildkrteThey live in ponds and bayous, but once a year they need to cover longer distances on land, in search of a place to lay their eggs: this happens in late may and june.The shot was taken on one of the Lobau heaths - so obviously this one is female, and on egg-laying business. They're carrying water in their bladder when they do that (which they need for digging), and it is vital that you don't pick them up when they're on their egg-laying trip as they might let this water go loose.ID: see herpetofauna_at; on that site there are mentioned new findings according to which only the Eastern Austrian population (of which this is one specimen) is native of old while in the rest of Austria populations are mixed with mediterranean ones - as this species was extensively used as lent meal in former times specimens from foreign populations have been introduced.