With the recent rains and warm, humid weather, conditions are perfect for North Carolina's state reptile, the Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina), to be on the move. This morning, one of our Naturalists found a very young female Eastern box turtle walking across one of our trails. At Discovery Place Nature, we are marking and releasing/recapturing the box turtles that are found in and around the Museum to learn more about their home ranges, growth, habitat and movements. We estimate this young turtle to be around 5 years of age and she appears to be in good health.

Since this weather has box turtles on the move, keep a sharp lookout as you drive around neighborhoods, on the roads that pass wooded areas, etc. and be prepared to stop for crossing box turtles. Unfortunately, with all of the roads, parking lots and developments their habitat has been fragmented and safe woods are disappearing, leading to a decline in box turtles due to road mortality and loss of habitat. You can do your part to help box turtles by remembering these important facts:

1. If you're driving down the road and see a box turtle attempting to cross a road, if it's safe and no traffic is coming, pick up the box turtle and place them safely off the road in the direction in which they are travelling.
2. Wild box turtles do not make good pets. If they are removed from their home environment, they will always try to get back to that home, sometimes even refusing to eat in captivity, leading to weakness, even death. If a box turtle is found in your yard or property, chances are they have been there for many, many years and will continue to do well. Just remember that you have box turtles in your yard if you mow the area or have landscapers mow the area.
3. Even though they are turtles, box turtles cannot swim! Please do not release them in a pond or lake like aquatic turtles.

Happy box turtle season!