Western Painted Turtle are the remaining native freshwater turtle species on the BC Coast. The Pacific Coast Population ranges from the Fraser Lowlands, Sunshine Coast, Squamish and southeast Vancouver Island area. Young western painted turtles feed mainly on tadpoles, insects, crayfish and snails, graduating to bigger prey like fish and frogs as they get older. To give them the energy they need for foraging and mating, these turtles will bask in the sun several times a day to raise their temperature.

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