Eastern box turtle - Chickamauga National Battlefield park
Posted by: Lat34North
N 34° 54.865 W 085° 14.001
16S E 661386 N 3864976
This eastern box turtle was trying to cross Alexander-Bridge Road in the Chickamauga National Battlefield Park. Stopped and helped him cross.
Waymark Code: WMBY28
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 07/03/2011
Views: 5
I noticed the car in front of me slowing down and moving over to the right and then saw why. I stopped to help the little fellow across the road.
"With the exeption of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the eastern box turtle is the most terrestrial turtle in the Southeast. The eastern box turtle has a high-domed carapace that is olive to brown with yellow markings. Either color may dominate and the pattern can fade in older individuals. The single-hinged plastron is yellow, sometimes with dark markings. The yellow markings on the head are variable and can be quite striking, particularly in males. This species is common in open woodlands and, during periods of inactivity, will find shelter under leaf litter or rotting logs. Male box turtles have red eyes and concave plastrons, females have brown eyes and a flat plastron. Females nest in late afternoon to early evening from May through July, usually laying four or five eggs. Young eastern box turtles are primarily carnivorous, but adults are omnivorous."
source:
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)