Walking Dead

No, it isn't Halloween. It is turtle season! Over a lifetime that can span 40-120 years, a female box turtle will lay several hundred eggs. Unfortunately, only 2-3 of her hatchlings will survive to become adults at the age of 7-10 years old. As a result, the turtle population in any given area remains stable only as long as there are enough offspring to replace the parents.

Follow up:

Many people find box turtles and decide to bring them home to keep as pets. Box turtles are very territorial. Removing a turtle from the wild will decrease the breeding possibilities of turtles in that area and will upset the delicate balance of the box turtle population. Box turtles have a low reproduction rate and a difficult time finding a mate. As more and more turtles are removed from the wild, fewer offspring are being born. The box turtle population is declining.

Relocating a box turtle, even moving one as little as a half-mile from its territory, is another mistake people make. Bringing a turtle home to observe for a while then releasing them in the backyard or another location that looks turtle friendly, is devastating to that turtle. Box turtles have a homing instinct which drives them to return to the area where they were born and they will roam endlessly in their search. It will encounter extreme dangers on its journey home and be unable to locate food outside its own territory. The relocated turtle often becomes "walking dead" as it wanders trying to get home and typically often dying in the process. The loss of this turtle from its territory will also disrupt the breeding cycle of that region and possibly cause the extinction of the population of turtles in that area.

The best way for people to help box turtles is to leave them alone. If you are lucky enough to find a box turtle in the wild, stop, look at it, marvel at its beauty. Take some pictures. Then, allow it to go on its merry turtle way. One of the main threats to box turtles is the danger of being hit by a car while crossing a road. If you see a box turtle crossing the road, you can help by picking it up and placing it on the side of the road in which it is heading. Remember to never take a box turtle from the wild to keep as a pet!