Eurasian Pond and River Turtles and Neotropical Wood Turtles: Geoemydidae

These turtles live in Eurasia, North Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America.

The members of this family live in the saltwater of the ocean's coastline, in inland freshwater areas, or on land in forests. They typically are found in the tropical areas of many countries, including China and the nations of the East Indies and Europe. They live from northern Mexico in North America to Ecuador and Brazil in South America. They also live in regions bordering the tropics, which are called "subtropical" regions.

Some Eurasian pond and river turtles and neotropical wood turtles eat only meat, and some eat only plants; others will dine on both meat and plants. In one species, called the Chinese stripe-necked turtle, the juveniles (JOO-vuh-nuhls), or young turtles, and the males eat mainly meat in the form of insects, but the females are primarily vegetarians and eat mostly leaves, seeds, and roots from the shoreline plants.

Some people who live near these turtles collect them to eat their meat or to use them in making medicines. They are also popular in the pet trade. The painted terrapin, for example, is especially popular, because some people believe that this turtle brings good luck.