Predator ID? (weakly graphic)

[ivan3]

Well, I wasn't going to post this as it isn't poultry predation but, mention in another thread about a coon killing a turtle changed my mind.
I'm not sure what got a hold of the turtle below. It was crossing the driveway last week (we have three of their nests flagged out front) and I noticed odd marks on either side (lateral) of carapace. If, whatever it was could do this to a turtle, well, poor chooks...

This a an approximately 15yr. old (if I'm reading the ridges on the scutes correctly), male, three toed Box Turtle:

No damage to plastron or exposed skin. What did it???
(at least it wasn't the usual steel belted pancake turtle...)

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It doesn't look like any kind of "animal" damage to me. The wounds are directly across from eachother, like it got "stuck" in something. I wouldn't know what would cause a wound like that and on both sides in a "line".

-Kim

 

[KellyGwen]

Are you sure it's not an infection? It looks like it's either an old injury or an infection of some sort since the edges of the holes aren't sharp or fresh looking...

Other than that... he's a cute turtle!!!

 

[ivan3]

There were three distinct (holes) on either side of carapace (with about the same spacing) that was what made me wonder (was guessing large dog/coyote but spacing seems wrong). Could have been `caught' in something, but a nearly bilaterally symmetrical something? (jaws I was guessing).

The spalling of the shell around the holes would, to me, indicate considerable force being applied.

We have a lot of these guys and I've never seen anything like this.