Running into a colorful yet elusive forest dweller, the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina ssp. carolina)

Wednesday Walk - A Colorful and Unexpected Encounter (Eastern Box Turtle)

By tych0_21 | MyMycoBlog | 23 Jun 2021

While taking a walk through the woods right after a rainstorm may sound like a muddy mess, doing so helps me gain a greater appreciation for how dynamic an ecosystem the temperate forests of North America can be. On a typically sunny summer day, the trees here would be filled with the chorus of songbirds and chirps of squirrels, but right after the rains, all becomes serenely quiet. Earlier this week, I made my way into the woods immediately after a storm and was pleasantly surprised by the company I found waiting for me on the trail.

I imagine it is at this point in time that the creatures of the forest first begin to pokes their heads out from their hiding places to see whether the rain has truly passed or is simply baiting them out from their shelter to douse them once more. While this may be the case for many of the local inhabitants, an aversion to an after-storm stroll is in stark contrast to the nature of one of the more elusive local residents: the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina ssp. carolina).

While the Eastern Box Turtle is relatively common along the eastern coastline of the United States and neighboring Appalachian region, it becomes increasingly rare as one makes their way North to my home state of Michigan. This species prefers to spend the majority of its time hidden beneath ground litter, brush, and rotting logs, particularly when weather is arid and hot. The majority of encounters with this species occur in the summer breeding months of June and July immediately after rainstorms have passed. It is at this time that the turtles emerge from their hiding spots to brave the cool open forest floor in search of both food and a mate.

Eastern Box Turtle Range Map Michigan, USA

Image source: https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/species/description/11493/Terrapene-carolina-carolina

Eastern Box Turtles can be found living in forested areas near bodies of water such as swamps, ponds, and lakes and can live up to 100 years in captivity. Despite this theoretical longevity, their typical lifespan in the wild is closer to 20 - 30 years due to predation, disease, and human interaction. Their slow maturation (males reach sexual maturity at age 10) combined with small annual clutch sizes (1-5 clutches of 1-9 eggs each) threaten their future survival, particularly in more geographically isolated communities such as those found in my state. As of 2011, the International (IUCN) downgraded the Eastern Box Turtle from Near Threatened to Vulnerable status in response to "a widespread persistent and ongoing gradual decline" in population across its known range. It is also listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Michigan.

The coloration of the Eastern Box Turtle's is highly variable with the carapace typically being a dark brown to black color and adored with yellow, orange, or red spots, bands, and splotches. Furthermore, males typically possess red irises whereas the irises of females are brown.

Based on his size and the time of the year, I'm assuming that I had just caught this mature male out on a stroll to find a mate elsewhere in the forest. For his sake, and that of his species, I hope that he did.