Box Turtle Whisperer

[Sfraker]

I recently watched an old show in either PBS or Animal Plant about the box turtle. How it is so difficult to find and they are starting to be considered rare to see in the Appalachians. They are training dogs to sniff them out so that they can get an idea of the population. They camoflauge into the forest floor so you can walk right past one and never notice it.

We live outside of Charlotte NC on 10 wooded acres. So far this spring my lab Zelda has brought me three of them out of the woods. She comes up to me gently carrying them in her mouth just a smiling and wagging, so proud of herself. Not a mark on the shell from a tooth. (she is hunt trained so has a soft mouth) She didn't need any training to find turtles, somehow she just finds them and brings them to me. They have been different sizes and colors so I don't think it's the same one.

Poor things must be scared out of their minds being carried so fast! I'm trying to keep an eye on her to stop her. I would prefer they get to stay where they want to be.

 

[kbarrett]

The mental picture I have of a lab happily carrying a turtle around made me chuckle

I live in PA within a couple miles of the Appalachian Trail. Growing up we used to find box turtles all the time. I can't even say the last time I saw one. Granted I don't spend the time in the woods & fields I did 30 yrs ago as a kid, but I do still take my son out to the same woods & fields to go creek stomping and fishing.