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The Eastern Box Turtle
By
David E. Wilson, Jr.
Photography by Dave Wilson.
astern box turtles usually conjure up feelings of empathy and respect,
but this several million-year-old reptile cannot survive without adequate
natural habitat.
key component of Pennsylvania's conservation efforts should be to
protect habitat, not just for game animals, but for other critters
as well — be they box turtles or river otters.
denizen of older, hardwood forests, box turtles initially adapted
well to farming practices, forestry, and livestock grazing. However,
over the last three decades, with the conversion of land to subdivisions,
extensive roadway networks, and pet-happy suburban residents, box
turtle numbers have been steadily declining.
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reaching sexual maturity until age 10, it is hard to imagine any box
turtle navigating the cars, kids, and concrete in built areas to be
able to reproduce. This species represents just one of thousands of
reasons to protect habitat for other living things.
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brown with highly variable yellow to orange patterns, adult males
and females can be distinguished by their eye color — males almost
always have red eyes compared to the brown eyes of the female. They
reach about 7 inches in length and can live to be about 80 years old,
although most rarely make it to that age. Up to age 20 or so, researchers
use growth rings on the turtle's shell to discern ages. After that,
the shell is worn smooth and growth rings are difficult to count.
Although a terrestrial turtle that prefers hardwood forests, they
can live and forage in bogs, shallow wetlands and even marshes.
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heavy rains in April, May and September are some of the best times
to see box turtles foraging about and looking for mates. They are
tougher to see in mid-summer and have home ranges of an average of
about 500 square feet. Box turtles lay only 2-7 eggs. Most hatch August
to November with some over wintering in the nest.
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eastern box turtle is omnivorous. They relish slugs and earthworms
but eat green vegetation, mushrooms, and even carrion. Many forest
plants rely on box turtles for seed dispersal and digestive assistance
for germination. Jack-in-the-pulpit has a well-known symbiotic relationship
with the seed-munching forest dwellers.
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box turtles from the wild is not legal without a permit, but for those
who use them for classroom study, they should always be returned to
the exact site where found. Box turtles displaced from their home
ranges often do not survive.
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with birds, mammals, amphibians, and other reptiles, a key to the
turtles' survival is to protect large contiguous areas to allow for
dispersal of offspring and to keep genetic variability.
 ith
public education and adequate conservation measures, box turtles should
be able to survive well into the next millennium.
Contact Dave Wilson
See past topics of In the Flow here!
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