For several years, the pond slider turtle has had a solitary existence in the lake at West Park. On some warm days in spring and summer, it emerged and is still emerging to spend hours on a fallen tree trunk, basking in the sun.
We were surprised last month. There’s a second tree trunk, lying end to end with the one favoured by the pond slider. One morning, the pond slider was in its favourite spot. At the far end of the second fallen log there was a second turtle.
This one was somewhat smaller. Like the original, those parts of its skin visible peeking out of the carapace had yellow streaks, but making distinctly different patterns. The newcomer is a yellow-bellied slider: one of the two sub-species found in addition to the standard members of the type.