Common Box Turtle

I'm not the fastest walker in the world these days, but I met a hiker on a trail that's even slower than me; it's a Common Box Turtle. I suspect that this is a female since the eyes of most males are red. 

When I see most (suspected) female turtles on land, I normally think they're looking for a place to lay eggs before retreating back to the water. But our box turtles are different, spending most of their time on land [1]. Still, May to July is when the females lay eggs.

Box turtles can live a long time; they've been known to live over 130 years. I don't remember this individual being especially large though, so I doubt she's especially old.

June 23, 2023 at Washington Valley Reservoir
Photo 301112364, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] My understanding is that box turtles can swim if they have to, but they prefer not to.

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