According to the official national park site there's only a single one turtle species living in Central Europe so there almost can't be any doubt if 'my' turtle mentioned already in yesterday's post really was an European pond turtle. Occasionally people who want to get rid of their pet turtle bring them to Lobau national park (which is strictly forbidden and endangers the European pond turtle), but I am rather sure that this one isn't a pet turtle.
It stubbornly refused to come out of its shell after I've picked it up and set down a good distance away from the road; and as a thunderstorm was on the horizon I really couldn't wait longer. The European pond turtle is in danger of becoming extinct especially because there remain only a very few places where they could lay their eggs - for them it is not enough to preserve the swamplands; equally if not more important is the preservation of egg-laying places.
As I have now read on this site I should not have picked up the turtle because it was most likely a female on its way finding a place for laying her eggs - and when they do so then beforehand they fill their bladder with water which they need for digging, but if you pick them up they let go of the water, which is why you shouldn't do that. I can only hope that this turtle was on her way back and already had laid her eggs; as I didn't notice her letting lose considerable amounts of water when picking her up there's a good chance that this indeed was the case.
