Western painted turtles need marshy ponds, small lakes, slow-moving streams and quiet, off-channel portions of rivers. They prefer waters with muddy bottoms with aquatic vegetation. Open ground for nesting and logs for basking help keep this species healthy.

These painted turtles occur in the Blue Mountains and Willamette Valley ecoregions. In the Columbia Plateau, East Cascades and West Cascades ecoregions, they live only along the Columbia River.

Western painted turtles are an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these: Blue Mountains, Coast Range, Columbia Plateau, East Cascades, West Cascades, Willamette Valley.

Photo by Robert Bryce Ott