Let me start by saying this:
I know it is wrong to take healthy turtles out of their natural habitat. Even the loss of one box turtle can damage the population in a specific area and due to the high mortaility rate for these turtles, I know it is important that adult turtles of breeding age should be left to continue their work year after year to maintain the local population.

However... I live in an apartment complex that USED TO have a large wooded area across the street. Over the past 2 months, this area has been decimated to clear space for new homes (because there aren't plenty of homes for sale all around the area already!) - Last night we found a female box turtle in our parking lot. She seems to be in good health, however was very dehydrated and a pretty skinny for her size - when I soaked her, she dropped her head and drank for 30-40 seconds straight - then did it again a minute later. I am guessing she wandered over from the construction site across the street.

There are a large number of highways in the surrounding area, and I would hate for her to wander around in front of a car now that her suspected home is no longer. I do not know of another wooded area nearby from where she may have come.

Here is my dilemma: I do not wish to remove a healthy animal from the wild. Especially as she is of breeding age and it would be wrong to collect her as a pet.

However, I have heard that placing this turtle in another location could be detrimental to her being, as she may not adjust and her homing instrict may kick in, putting her in danger of wandering into highways and other dangerous areas looking for her former home.

So I suppose my dilemma is this: Do I release this turtle back into the parking lot where she was found and cross my fingers for her? Do I keep her for a short time and bring her to a respectable weight (by feeding natural foods she would find in the wild), then release her into a large state park nearby where I know there is a group of box turtles already? Or do I keep her as a pet and (after a period of confinement to ensure good health) introduce her to my outdoor enclosure with my spoiled female box turtles?

I want to do what is right for this turtle.

Any input would be appreciated.

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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.4 Eastern Box Turtles: Dozer, Daisy, Magnum and 3 hatchlings (Chuck Norris, Bumblebee and Higgins)
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie

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