Eastern Box Turtle

Here's a turtle that I virtually never see with other turtles, the mostly-terrestrial Eastern Box Turtle. Similar to there being shorebirds that are pretty indifferent to shores (see Killdeer), the Eastern Box Turtle is technically a member of the pond turtle family despite living a life like that of their more distant relatives the tortoises. Their high, boxy-looking shells are responsible for their name.

The Eastern Box Turtle isn't a species of turtle; it's a subspecies. The species is called the Common Box Turtle, and it comprises the EBT and 5 other subspecies. The term "box turtle" refers to a genus. 

As members of the pond turtle family, EBTs can technically swim, but they don't do it well or willingly. You won't do an EBT any favors by putting it in water, but it won't be a death sentence either. If they could talk, I suspect you'd get an expletive-filled tongue-lashing from it.

I found this fella when it was hiking through Research Woods at Duke Farms. I considered myself fortunate that it didn't retreat into its shell (though I'm pretty sure that was on its mind).

June 29, 2022 at Duke Farms
Photo 211850539, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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