WANTED

EASTERN BOX TURTLE Help us gather information on the presence of this species on DCNR lands!

If you find a box turtle, please submit photos (both top and bottom of the shell) and GPS coordinates of

the individual to the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey http://paherpsurvey.org/email-submit.php or

to Aura Stauffer (astauffer@pa.gov) of the Ecological Services Section.

Four subspecies comprise the Eastern Group:

There are two regional groups of box turtles in the United States (eastern and western).

Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) has a black/brown carapace with irregularly shaped blotches of yellow/orange. It has four toes on each hind foot and ranges throughout the eastern U.S. from Georgia to Maine and west to Illinois (orange on map above).

Three toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) has a tan/olive shell with yellow/orange spots on head and limbs and three toes on each hind foot. Males can have red heads. It ranges throughout central U.S. (green on map above).

Gulf coast box turtle (Terrapene carolina major) is the largest of the extant box turtles and is semiaquatic. It has a dark carapace, flared marginal scutes, and four toes on each hind foot. Its head color ranges from dark to white in older males. It occurs along the Gulf coast from Louisiana to northern Florida (periwinkle on map above).

Florida box turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri) has a dark carapace with radiating yellow lines. Its head often has yellow lines as well. It has 3-4 toes on each hind foot, and occurs in southeast Georgia and Florida (yellow on map above).

The Eastern Group has- Highly variable shell pattern- Keeled carapace- Rectangular 1st marginal scute- Short interfemoral seam- Carapace is higher toward rear- All hind toes are similar

Identification Guide to Eastern Box Turtles

Range of box turtles in the United Stated. The Carolina (eastern) group (colored in orange, yellow, green, and periwinkle) lives in the east and the Ornata (western) group (purple and blue) lives in the west. The grey shaded area in the middle is where their ranges overlap. [Map based on the Davidson College Herpetology Lab Box Turtle Webpage. www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/research/Contribute/box%20turtle/boxmain.htm]

Eastern box turtle

Three toed box turtle

Gulf coast box turtle

Florida box

turtle

Desert box turtle (Terrapene

ornata luteola)

Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata

ornata)

Many of the subspecies can be highly variable, and where their ranges overlap, they interbreed, making it difficult to distinguish one subspecies from another. For more information, visit the NEPARC website (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc). Poster design by Liz Willey.Photo credits: Mike Jones and Liz Willey. Information based on: Dodd, C. K. Jr. 2001. North American box turtles: a natural history. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.

Short Interfemoralseam

Rectangular1st marginal

scute

Please Don’t Take Me Home!I Am Protected by Law

(It is illegal to possess me in many states)

I Grow Slowly, and Need Time to Mature(I might live 30-40 years but only have one surviving young)

My Population Depends on Me(Taking me home can result in local population decline)

For more information on box turtles, state regulations, and report sightings, visit the NEPARC website at

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc

Poster Design: by Meredith Atwood and Lori ErbPhoto Credit: Lori Erb

Turtles are unusual among vertebrates in that even extremely modest mortality from unnatural causes can lead to population decline. Habitat loss and degradation, fragmentation by highways, water pollution, and collection as pets are the primary threats to wood turtles. Highway mortality is one of the more horrid and immediate threats to wood turtles. Every year thousands of turtles are killed on highways as they try to find nest sites or look for mates. Other threats include an overabundance certain predators like raccoons, opossums, and skunks that prey of eggs, hatchlings and adult turtles.

If you encounter a wood turtle, send your name, address, phone number (optional), location of sighting (GPS coordinates if possible), name of nearest stream and comments to:

Address line 1 this section is to be customized by each state to provide an appropriate mailing address

Your name

___________________________________ Address

___________________________________

___________________________________ Phone number (optional)

___________________________________ Location of sighting (GPS coordinates, if possible), include county

___________________________________

___________________________________Name of nearest stream

___________________________________ Comments

___________________________________

___________________________________

Wood Turtles are considered imperiled, rare, declining, and/or vulnerable in almost every State and Canadian province throughout their range.

Ultimately, the conservation of wood turtles will require protection of wetland and upland habitats. This cannot be accomplished without help of both private and public landowners.

Below are some steps that you can take to assist in wood turtle conservation:

Raise the awareness on this species by encouraging your local and state governments to increase protection of riparian (wetland) habitats.

•Do not take turtles home. In many states wood turtles are a protected species.

•If you live next to a stream, provide as much forested buffer as possible.

• If you see a turtle in the road and can safely pull over, help the turtle across in the direction that it was going.

Be careful when mowing tall grass, especially in June during the nesting season.

• Report suspected poaching to your local wildlife law enforcement agency as the wood turtle is protected in many states.

THREATS

HOW CAN YOU HELPIDENTIFICATIONThe wood turtle has a slightly domed carapace (top shell) that can reach a length of 9 inches. The scutes (scales) of the carapace are sculpted and knobby. The hingeless plastron (bottom shell) has a light color pattern with dark marginal blotches. The front legs and neck are often bright red or orange red.

Male plastron is concave in bothwood turtles and box turtles

CONFUSING SPECIESThe EASTERN BOX TURTLE (Terrapene carolina carolina) is commonly mistaken for the wood turtle. Box turtles have a high-domed shell and lack the sculptured scales. Their plastron is hinged with no markings and will often turn black. Unlike wood turtles, box turtles can completely enclose themselves for protection. Photos: John White

Photo: John White

Photo: Steve Kirchbaum

Note the sculpted scutes and more streamlined carapace

Carapace patterns of box turtles can be highly variable

Note the hinged plastron

HELP US MONITOR WOOD TURTLES

The WOOD TURTLE (Glyptemys insculpta) ranges from southeastern Canada south to northern Virginia. It also occurs in the upper midwestern States.

Photo: J.D. Kleopfer© WoodTurtle.com

For additional information on the conservation of wood turtles and

other reptiles and amphibians:• Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the

Northeastern United States

• Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the

Midwestern United States

•Turtles of the United States and Canada – Ernst and Lovich

•www.parcplace.org

•www.woodturtle.com

WOOD TURTLE RANGE

Wood turtle life history is characterized by slow growth, late sexual maturity (10-15 years) and high natural mortality of eggs and juveniles. However, wood turtles are known for their longevity. In the wild, wood turtles are known to live 50 years and up to 100 years in captivity!

Wood turtles begin to emerge from their aquatic hibernation sites in March. In May and June, gravid females (females with eggs) can be found in upland habitat looking for nest sites. Although the number of eggs deposited is variable, most clutches average around 9 eggs. Hatchlings emerge in August or early September. Mating can occur anytime of the year when turtles are active, but typically peaks in late fall as turtles begin to return to their hibernation sites.

WOOD TURTLE ECOLOGYThe WOOD TURTLE is in decline

throughout most of its range and needs your help. This brochure is intended to

provide facts and general information on the life history and ecology of this

amazing animal, and how YOU can help with its conservation.

WOOD TURTLE HABITATIt is important to recognize that essential wood turtle habitat exists far outside of narrowly defined or protected riparian areas (wetlands). The adjacent upland habitat is as critical as the stream itself. Forests, fields, and wet meadows adjacent to highly oxygenated streams are excellent wood turtle habitat. In winter, they hibernate in pools deep enough not to freeze, under the mud or leaves on the bottom, or under submerged logs or tree roots. They do not occupy impounded waters, such as reservoirs and ponds.

WOOD TURTLE DIET WOOD TURTLE FACTS• Wood turtles are cold-adapted. They have been observed moving beneath ice-covered streams and are active on land when air temperatures are only in the low 40s(F).

•Wood turtles have been known to “worm-stomp”. Thumping their chest against the ground, the sound draws worms to the surface for an easy meal.

• With their large strong legs, wood turtles are well-adapted for climbing over rocks and logs.

•Home ranges of wood turtles can be hundreds of acres.

•Wood turtle are considered the smartest of all the turtles species.

Wood turtle hibernation site

Wood turtles are omnivorous, meaning they will eat just about anything. Slugs, worms, mushrooms, and berries are just a few of the items that make up their diet.

Brochure designed by:Christina Domser & J.D. Kleopfer Northeast PARC - Wood Turtle Working Groupwww.pwrc.usgs.gov/neparc

Photo: Mike Jones

Phot

o: A

lan

Savi

tzky

WANTED

WOOD TURTLE Help us gather information on the presence of this species on DCNR lands!

If you find a wood turtle, please submit photos (both top and bottom of the shell) and GPS coordinates of

the individual to the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey http://paherpsurvey.org/email-submit.php or

to Aura Stauffer (astauffer@pa.gov) of the Ecological Services Section.