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Jan 16, 2024 · Eastern box turtles are a forest-dwelling species that’s declining in the eastern U.S., due in part to habitat loss and fragmentation from urbanization and roads. “It’s kind of getting attacked from multiple angles,” McMillian said. It’s also facing declines due to collections for the pet trade.
We see adult turtles … albeit in slowly diminishing numbers, but we don’t see the lack of juvenile and sub-adult recruits into the local population. Male box turtle #78, a resident of the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, illustrates the long goodbye of the Eastern box turtle species.
- Characteristics
- Ecology
- Activity and Behavior
- Conservation
All Box Turtles derive their name from the fact that they have a hinged plastron, which allows them to close their shell almost completely. The high domed carapace is often a brown to tan color with hints of white, yellow, red, orange and olive tones occurring in lines, blotches or spots. Turtles are usually 4-6 inches long and nearly 5 inches tall...
Habitat
Riparian
Distribution
Habitats: Found mostly in the Eastern United States, Box Turtles occur as far north as Michigan and Maine, South to Florida, and as far West as Texas and Kansas. Found rarely above 1,000 feet in elevation, preferring low land habitats where water collects. Commonly associated with deciduous forests having high leaf litter and moisture these turtles are often located near rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and other bodies of fresh water, however, they are not good swimmers.
Diet
Herbivore, some insects. Wild Diet: Juveniles diet may include worms, slugs/snails, grubs, beetles, caterpillars and carrion. As they reach maturity they begin to eat aquatic vegetation as well as berries, fallen fruit, and wild mushrooms sometimes considered to be poisonous to humans!
Activity Pattern
Like most reptiles, activity is temperature dependent, preferring conditions that are moist, humid, and warm. Ideal temperature is 80-95°F and they are more active during rainy periods and immediately after it has rained. During drought, turtles may spend time in burrows and in excessive heat turtles will seek out shallow pools of water to soak in. In fall months turtles are observed basking in the sunlight for energy. In Northern climates turtles will enter hibernation in late October. In pl...
Behavior
Like most reptiles, behavioral adaptations are centered around temperature, basking in the sun for energy and soaking in shallow ponds to cool.
Social Behavior
Box Turtles are often found hibernating together in groups of up to 10, and are generally tolerant of overlapping territory. Aggression and territory disputes between males in mating seasons are rare and non-threatening. Overall, box turtles are considered tolerant and sociable, however, young neonate offspring will often cannibalize each other upon hatching.
Status
Although not considered endangered Nationally, several states including Michigan, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and the Carolinas have listed the Box Turtle as a Species of Special Concern.
Historical
Due to a widespread, consistent and persistent decline of the species, the ICUN considers the Box Turtle to be a Vulnerable Species. The decline is associated with anthropogenic causes, or manmade causes centering on urbanization. Agricultural use of pesticides within a shared water shed has negatively impacted young turtle survivability due to malformed eggs. Introduction of synanthopic predator species, (species who live near and benefit mutually from human settlement and urban habitats) su...
Our Role
We have 2 Box Turtles in the zoo, who are used as education animal ambassadors, bringing conservation awareness to visitors and community members.
Aug 25, 2020 · Box turtles selected areas with greater visual obstruction at the 0–0.25-m level, greater amounts of 10-hour and 100-hour fuels (timelag categories used in fire-danger ratings), and greater litter depths compared to available locations.
- Katie A. Harris, Joseph D. Clark, R. Dwayne Elmore, Craig A. Harper
- 3
- 2020
- 25 August 2020
The eastern box turtle is considered uncommon to rare in the Great Lakes region; however, populations can be found in areas not bisected by heavily traveled roads. In the Midwest , it is a species of concern in Ohio , and a species of special concern [ disambiguation needed ] in Michigan and Indiana .
The eastern box turtle is one of six extant subspecies of the common box turtle. It has a high-domed, rounded, hard upper shell, called a carapace. The vivid, orange and yellow markings on its dark brown shell distinguish it from other box turtles, as do the four toes on its hind feet.
People also ask
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What is an eastern box turtle?
Eastern box turtles are considered uncommon to rare in the Great Lakes region. Eastern box turtles prefer deciduous or mixed forested regions, with a moderately moist forest floor that has good drainage.
