TIMES-RECORDER (Zanesville, Ohio) 16 July 07 Box turtles: Disappearing gems of the forest (Nicole Hafer)
Once a common sight on country roadsides, the Eastern box turtle is now a rare sight to behold. The population of these shy and gentle animals has been on the decline for a number of years. As our communities expand and more farmland and woodlands become homes and shopping malls, the struggle for survival becomes difficult for many species of reptiles and amphibians.
The eastern box turtle is one of 11 species of turtles in Ohio; however, they are the only land turtle found in our state. The box turtle makes his home in open woodlands, pasture edges and marshy meadows, dining on a variety of foods. Box turtles are omnivorous and consume a variety of berries, insects, slugs and plant material. The box turtle derives his name from a centrally hinged plastron (bottom shell) which enables the turtle to close the front and rear of the shell tightly against the carapace (upper shell). This "boxes in" the turtle for protection from predators.
Turtles are reptiles, and like snakes are completely deaf to airborne sound. To compensate, the turtle has excellent hearing, eyesight and camouflage. Unlike many other reptiles, male and female box turtles can easily (and not invasively) be identified. Female box turtles have brown eyes, while the male's eyes are red. The camouflage on the shell ranges in color from yellow and brown to orange. Each turtle's shell has a pattern unique to that turtle, like a fingerprint.
During the summer, the turtles spend the day hidden beneath rotting logs, decaying leaves or other plant material, venturing out only in early morning or evening. This is normally when they can be seen crossing roads. The greatest threat to Ohio's box turtles are careless drivers who make no attempt to avoid running over them as they try to cross. As the turtles have fewer places to live, they often must cross busy roads just to find the food and water they need to survive.
So, what can we all do to help save these "gems of the forest"? The easiest thing to do is just move them off the road if you see one when driving. They do not bite and can be safely moved onto the roadside, in the direction they were heading. One thing to remember, is that you never want to take the turtle home with you. Box turtles are shy and difficult to care for, as they rarely eat well in captivity. Relocating the turtle to a "safer" location, is also detrimental. Box turtles have a home range, or territory, established as hatchlings and maintained for their entire life. If removed from their territory and relocated elsewhere, the turtle will look for its home for the rest of its life. Many of these turtles do not survive, as they do not know where the food, water and shelter are in their new home.
If you happen to find yourself lucky enough to see a box turtle in the wild, stop for a moment to appreciate this unique Ohio resident. A box turtle can live for 100 years, making him one of the oldest living animals in Ohio. If he is not run over or his habitat destroyed, you may see him again for years to come.
Disappearing gems of the forest