Where Do Turtles Go in the Winter? A Look Beneath the Ice.
As winter settles in across Massachusetts and our wetlands freeze over, many people wonder: where do turtles go in the winter? The short answer is: they don’t go anywhere. Instead, our local reptiles have evolved some truly remarkable strategies to survive months of cold, ice, and low oxygen conditions.
Winter Life Beneath the Ice
Most of Massachusetts’ native turtles overwinter underwater, buried in mud, leaf litter, or sediment at the bottom of ponds, lakes, marshes, slow-moving streams, and even tidal flats. Freshwater turtles will settle into these environments in the fall and enter a state called brumation, a reptilian version of hibernation where metabolism slows dramatically.
During brumation, turtles don’t eat, move very little, and conserve as much energy as possible. But one big challenge remains, breathing.
Yes, Turtles Can Breathe Through Their Butts
Here is where turtles get extra cool. Many aquatic turtles are capable of cloacal respiration, less scientifically referred to as “butt breathing.” The cloaca is an opening used for digestion and reproduction, and in some turtles it contains specialized blood vessels that can absorb small amounts of oxygen directly from the surrounding water.
This adaptation allows turtles to survive for long periods underwater without surfacing for air, especially helpful when the surface is frozen solid. While it doesn’t replace normal breathing entirely, cloacal respiration provides just enough oxygen to sustain turtles through the winter months.
Not All Turtles Do It the Same Way
Almost all Massachusetts turtle species overwinter in aquatic environments except one. The eastern box turtle, a fully terrestrial species, spends winter on land. Box turtles dig down into loose soil, sand, leaf litter, or old mammal burrows, where temperatures remain more stable and insulated from harsh weather.
Amphibians follow similar strategies. Frogs like wood frogs overwinter in leaf litter or shallow soil, while salamanders and aquatic amphibians often brumate underwater or underground, sometimes becoming active during brief warm spells.
What to Do If You Find a Turtle in Winter
If you encounter a turtle during winter or early spring especially one that appears inactive, do not disturb it. Turtles may surface or shift slightly during warmer days and moving them can disrupt their overwintering process.
If you believe the turtle may be a species protected under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, take a photo and report it to the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) for guidance.
Why This Matters
Understanding how turtles survive winter helps us appreciate just how closely tied they are to healthy wetlands. Clean water, intact sediments, and undisturbed shorelines are critical not just in summer, but year-round. When we protect wetlands, we’re protecting these incredible cold weather survivors even when we can’t see them.
So next time you walk past a frozen pond, remember beneath the ice, turtles are waiting patiently for spring… breathing through their butts and doing what they do best.