Yes, turtles, an ancient side branch from the avian tree.

Tales of western pond turtles from Lakes Washington and Sammamish abound but
most of these tales are pre-1970. In the southern Puget Sound region, Lake
Washington stands out as, perhaps, the only western pond turtle habitat that
was not surrounded by glacial outwash prairie. This is important because
turtles require an exposed, sunny spot where eggs laid in a hole in the ground
will stay warm and hatch. The sparse coverage of trees, shrubs and grasses on
these prairies provided many opportunities for successful nesting. Where did
they find such a spot on Lake Washington a thousand years ago?

There have been recent reports of western pond turtles in Lakes Washington and
Sammamish. In 1987 a turtle crossing the highway in Redmond was photographed
before its release at Marymoor Park. It was a western pond turtle. In 1992,
volunteer observers scoped the arboretum area for many hours during summer and
reported one western pond turtle among the sliders and painted turtles there.
Down near Leschi Park, two competent observers (both PhD zoologists), reported
a western pond turtle basking during 1992 and 1993. We now recognize this area
as a favorite hang out for Lake Washington turtles. However, the ones there
lately are all painted turtles and sliders.

The DNA fingerprinting comparisons of western pond turtles that have been
found in the Puget Sound lowlands in the last 5 years (Tacoma, Fife, Port
Orchard) with western pond turtles from the Portland area and California
found no significant differences? Is it because these turtles actually
originated from Portland or California, being transported here by humans?
It's fine to speculate that they were all dumped pets but it is also possible
that these are the last remnants of the native stock and that the native stock
were genetically similar to the turtles originating from parts south.
Genetically, our Columbia River Gorge turtles were distinct from turtles in
all other areas.

Functioning populations of western pond turtles appear not to exist in the
Puget Sound lowlands today. Individuals that turn up here or there are
considered to be best put into the captive breeding program at Woodland Park
Zoo. If we find western pond turtles in Lake Washington today, I
believe that they should be trapped and placed in the captive breeding program
at Woodland Park Zoo. We need them if we are going to be successful at
establishing western pond turtle populations in the Puget Sound lowlands
again.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife