On May 13, 2019, Nusratullin Alik, an employee of the Yangan-Tau sanatorium, met a bog turtle near the Yuriuzan River opposite the v. Kazyrbak.
European swamp turtle Emys orbicularis is a species of freshwater turtles of the bog turtle species. The Latin species name comes from the Latin orbicularis - "rounded".
It is listed in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bashkortostan (2014), with the classification of the II category of rarity (decreasing in number of species at the periphery of the area), but there are no data on the meetings in the north-east of the republic in the Red Data Book.
According to information received from residents of Salavat district, the bog turtle was recorded by them earlier. Galiyev Ayrat reported that this species was observed in 2016 in the village of Maloyaz near the suspension bridge. Kuznetsov Vitaly informed about the meeting of the species near the village of Yelgildino.
The swamp turtle carapax is oval, low and slightly convex, smooth, mobilely connected to the plastron by a narrow elastic ligament. The length of the carapax reaches 12-35 cm. Carapax of young turtles is rounded, with weak median carina in the hind part. Rear part of the plastronus is rounded, with no visible indentation. The extremities are equipped with long sharp claws. Small membranes are developed between fingers. Tail is very long, in adult turtles its length is up to 3/4 of shell length, and in calves tail is relatively longer. This tail can play the role of an additional rudder when swimming (this function is mainly performed by the hind limbs). The turtle can weigh up to 1.5 kg.
The shell of adult turtles is colored in dark olive, brown or dark brown, almost black, with small yellow spots, dots or strokes from above. Plastron - dark brown or yellowish with blurry dark spots. The head, neck, legs and tail of a turtle are dark, with numerous yellow spots. Eyes with yellow, orange or reddish irises. The edges of the jaw are smooth, and there is no "beak".
The marsh turtle has a large area and is widespread in southern, eastern and central Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, western Turkmenistan and western Kazakhstan in the east and northwest Africa.
It inhabits this species in forest, steppe and forest-steppe areas. It is found in various freshwater reservoirs: marshes, ponds, lakes, lakes, melons, old women, slowly flowing rivers and canals. The river with a fast current avoids, prefers flat water bodies with flat shores, well warmed up shallow water areas, both overgrown with vegetation and without it. Sometimes it is found within the boundaries of settlements and cities.
The marsh turtle is omnivorous, but the main and preferred food for it is various small animals, primarily invertebrates: molluscs, worms, crustaceans, water and land insects and their larvae. The diet is dominated by insects and other arthropods. Swamp turtles can also hunt small vertebrates: amphibians and their larvae, young snakes and even waterfowl chicks. Eats scavengers, such as corpses of waterfowl.