Open 361 Days a Year: Admissions 10:00am – 3:30pm; park closes at 4:30pm

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Reservations are not required, and tickets do not need to be purchased online in advance.

Eastern Mud Turtle

Eastern Mud Turtle

Kinosternon subrubrum

Appearance: The eastern mud turtle is small and only grows to be 3-5 inches long as an adult. They have an unmarked shell that ranges in color from brown to olive. Unlike most other turtles, eastern mud turtles have two hinges on their plastron (lower shell) to help protect their limbs from predators. In the wild, they can live between 20-40 years; in captivity, they can live up to 50.

Behavior: Often confused with their cousin, the eastern musk turtle, they also can release a foul smell while under stress.  They are also semi-aquatic but prefer to crawl through slow-moving water.

Range: Eastern mud turtles are found along the eastern coast of the United States and go as far west as Texas.

Diet: Their diet is varied and can include crustaceans, mollusks, insects, seeds, and aquatic plants.

Donatello the Eastern Mud Turtle

Donatello

Date of Birth: July 1, 2005

Donatello was born at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Virginia and came to the WNC Nature Center in September 2019.

Meet our other animals

American Black Bear

American Black Bear

Generally shy and reclusive animals, black bears avoid human contact and are not normally aggressive. Two black bears, Uno and Ursa, live at the Nature Center.

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Red Wolf Karma

American Red Wolf

Red wolves are highly endangered species that has been eliminated from almost all of its natural range. Our breeding pair of red wolves, Oak and Gloria, are part of the AZA Species Survival Plan.

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American Pygmy Goat

American Pygmy Goat

Similar to the Nigerian dwarf goat, the American pygmy is a small goat that only reaches 1-2 feet in height. They vary widely in coloration including white, tan, caramel, gray, and black.

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