I met this beauty in the river. She was just getting out of the water. I decided to bask in the sun. The turtle's movements are funny. She climbed with difficulty onto the log. I feel sorry for this turtle, because in the wild it must live in southern countries. And we have the middle strip of Russia.
In our area, the climate does not allow yellow-bellied turtles to live in open water. But for the last 3 years in the summer, I sometimes see a yellow-bellied turtle in the river. Every time in about the same place. There are suggestions that red-eared turtles are released into rivers by people. First they start at home, not counting on the turtle to grow to a large size. And then they are released into the wild. Such a turtle also has an excellent appetite. At least I heard from my friends that some people practice releasing turtles from home aquariums into rivers.
Every time I see such a turtle, my heart contracts with pity. I would never do that to part with a pet. The species of these turtles are inhabitants of warm water bodies, live in those areas where the temperature is positive all year round. In our country, from late autumn to spring, rivers freeze over. Will an inhabitant of southern countries be able to crawl deep into the silt at the bottom of the river to survive the winter? I would very much like to.
Perhaps, have already acclimatized such turtles, but I do not know about this. If this were the case, then yellow-bellied turtles would be seen on other rivers in our area. But there is no such information.
Unfortunately the turtle got out not quite close to the shore. It is impossible to take her from the place where she was sitting. It's deep there, and until you get there, the turtle will hide under the water. When I saw this turtle, I stood quietly. She does not like loud conversations and sudden movements. Otherwise, the turtle will hide back into the water.
Unfortunately, I could not photograph the very process when the turtle got out of the water onto a log. And then she sat for a long time in one position and did not move.
I shot a video at that moment, just when the turtle got out of the water.
