When I started volunteering at the center, I was going to do whatever needed to be done as a volunteer. Never in a million years did I think I would become the “reptile person” at the center. I am not really sure myself how it happened.

The title just seemed to evolve over time. See what I did there?

Although they are still common in some areas, box turtles have declined over much of their home range, due to habitat destruction, roads, farm equipment, predators, lawn mowers, and human disturbance. One of the reasons is well-meaning people relocate them, not realizing that they are highly territorial using about a football field sized area their entire lives. So being moved several miles down the road means a struggle trying to get back to their original home ranges.

They are easily recognizable due to their high-domed shells. The domed portion is called a carapace while the lower shell is called the plastron, which is hinged allowing the shell to be closed. These handsome turtles are dark brown in color with streaks, spots, and lines of yellow, olive and orange. The head, neck, and legs of the box turtle are also marked with yellow and orange, more so in the males. Male box turtles usually have red eyes while the eyes of the females are usually a soft golden yellow. Male box turtles have a slight depression in the middle of their lower shells while that of the females are flat. They are well-suited for blending in among the leaf litter and debris on the ground.

When there is a perceived threat, box turtles have the ability to pull their head and legs into their shells remaining hidden until the threat of danger is past. The shell is extremely tough and almost impossible to pry open when closed. Years ago, Susan Gallagher and I tried to do just that. A box turtle had been hit on the road and we were trying to assess the damage. Neither one of us could pull down on the plastron. We had to wait until the turtle decided we meant no harm. Young box turtles do not develop this hinge until they are about 4 to 5 years old leaving them vulnerable to predators.

Box turtles can be found in a variety of habitats from fields to forests, although with the loss of habitat they can be found in areas once thought not to be suitable. During hot, dry weather, box turtles will often seek out springs and seepages where they dig deeply into the cool mud. Like other reptiles, box turtles hibernate. They burrow under the soil and leaves, around the end of October, and usually come out of hibernation in April or early May. Of course, this is all weather dependent.

In early summer, female box turtles seek out sunny areas where they lay their eggs in the warm soil by digging a hole with their back feet.

After laying from three to eight eggs, the nest is covered with soil and the eggs are left to hatch on their own in about three months, allowing them time to find places to hibernate. For turtles that hatch later in the season, they will overwinter in the nest and then emerge the following spring.

Due to their small size and lack of the bright coloration found on the adults, young box turtles are even more camouflaged than the adults. Adult box turtles often live 30 to 40 years or more in the wild and some are believed to have reached 100 years or more in captivity.

The turtles at the center are at least 40 years old and all three have really charming personalities. Stop in sometime and say hello to them! Once I had a little boy tell me that his mom had taken a shellfie with them. Get it?

Jeannie Carl is a naturalist at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill. The center rehabilitates injured animals and educates the public on a variety of wildlife found in the area. For information on the Carbon County Environmental Center, visit www.carboneec.org.