w1240 ~ Underwater Painted Turtle

Underwater view of a juvenile painted turtle (Chrysemys picta). A relative of sliders and cooters, this species lives in slow moving water adjacent to wetlands in Michigan and much of North America. Painted turtles will eat just about anything they can catch. In the wild, painted turtles may live for twenty to thirty years. Most photographs of this species are of it out of the water, basking on a log or rock. However, this turtle species spends most of its time in the water. To survive harsh, Michigan winters, painted turtles bury themselves in mud and hibernate. Photo taken in Barry County, Southwest Michigan.   If interested in licensing a high-resolution version of this photo, please visit our licensing portfolio at ShutterPoint.com or contact us directly. © Keto and Katie Gyekis