Eastern Box Turtle

Description:

Ridged brown shell with yellow-orange markings on each section. Black skin with yellow, orange, and red markings. Slightly webbed feet with long black claws. Round, red-orange eyes.

Habitat:

Found in a mature forest on the edge of a cemetery in SW Virginia. It was a dry hilltop area about 1/2 mile from a Smith River. Oaks and poplars were the predominant trees. The turtle was sitting still, partially in its shell, when I found it; it seemed to be resting in the shade.

Notes:

The markings on this individual's shell were smaller and duller than other box turtles I've seen. According to Wikipedia, males tend to have red eyes and females have brown eyes, so this is likely a male turtle. Interestingly, there was another box turtle that appeared to be male nearby, about 50 feet away.