Help with project???

Question

I need to take pictures of wild box turtles and observe them in their natural habitat for my bio summer project. I need to observe at least 5 and at least one has to be a baby. I live in VA and don't see them all that much, although one lives in our neighbor's yard (i've never seen it though) times's running out on the project, so I'm willing to drive a bit to find them. I have to use a film camera and have my project partner in the picture to prove I took it and I don't know anyone with pets I could use. Where should I go and when? I can go as far as Maryland or south carolina

Answer 1

I'd contact a local herpetological society and they could put you in contact with someone that owns or breeds them.

try these sites:

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/

http://www.anapsid.org/societies/virgini...

Answer 2

The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) is one of two species of box turtles found in the United States. It is the only "land turtle" found in North Carolina and is also the state reptile. Box turtles are extremely long lived, slow to mature, and have relatively few offspring per year. These characteristics, along with a propensity to get hit by cars, make the box turtle a species particularly susceptible to human-induced problems.

Box Turtles are the most common terrestrial turtle in the eastern United States. They are small to medium sized turtles, attaining a maximum length of about 8 inches and having a highly domed carapace. A key characteristic of box turtles is their hinged plastron (bottom of the shell) that can be shut completely to exclude predators. Although mud, musk, and blandings turtles also posses hinged shells, they cannot be closed completely. Superficially, box turtles resemble tortoises but they are actually more closely related to many aquatic turtles and belong to the same family as spotted, bog, chicken, map, and painted turtles, as well as sliders, cooters, and diamondback terrapins. Box turtles in the United States are divided into two species, the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina), which ranges from Texas throughout the southeast and north to Michigan and southern Massachusetts, and the western box turtle (Terrapene ornata), which ranges west of the Mississippi to Colorado and New Mexico. The western box turtle is superficially similar to the eastern box turtle but is typically smaller and has a shell marked with radiating yellow lines. There are an additional two species of box turtle that are endemic to restricted habitats in Mexico. One of these species (Terrapene coahuila) is almost totally aquatic.

Eastern box turtles are highly variable in shell shape, pattern, and coloration. Based on these differences, four subspecies of eastern box turtles have been designated. The most widespread subspecies is simply known as the eastern box turtle (T. carolina carolina). This turtle ranges along the entire east coast of the United States from Massachusetts to northern Florida, as far west as the Mississippi River, and north to the Great Lakes. Although this subspecies is highly variable in coloration, it is often more brightly colored than the other subspecies and almost always has four claws on the hind feet.

Eastern box turtles are amazingly versatile animals and inhabit a wide variety of habitats from wooded swamps to dry, grassy fields. Although these turtles can live in a variety of different habitats, they are most abundant and healthy in moist forested areas with plenty of underbrush. Although not aquatic, box turtles will often venture into shallow water at the edge of ponds or streams or in puddles. Box turtles do not travel far, usually living within an area less than 200m in diameter. In cold climates they hibernate through the winter in loose soil at a depth of up to two feet.

A good place to go is a Conservation Concerns because they are really in a natural habitat because it is their home and is the same habitat! also the staff might allow you to hold them! good luck!