Florida Box Turtles--Everglades

[cdmay]

I've found a load of box turtles over the years down in the everglades and especially in the Everglades National Park (ENP). Here are some from the past few years.

This one was right near the main entrance to the park. It had some old fire damage but was otherwise OK.



This old female was about as round as I've ever seen.



She had a very slight dent in her plastron.





She had the usual notch in her carapace that many adult box turtles get from fighting or mating. But this is nothing compared to what the average female gulf coast box turtles of similar size and age will have in the Apalachicola National Forest (ANF).

Another one in the road.



Here is something you don't find very often. A juvenile.



What a nice plastron he had!



Released site.



I've spent countless hours wading and hiking way off the main park road. This young male was found several miles out in the sawgrass in a tree island. The water depth around the tree island was about 15 inches. In the rocky center it was dry though.
Box turtles are fairly common on these little isolated islands.
Photographed just as he was found...



He was pretty nice.



Plastron.



Plastron of another male that was also found out in a tree island.



That's all for now...

 

[tortadise]

Spectacular Carl. Very cool finding a juvie. Good seeing a dense population in the park.

 

[Jacqui]

Nice looking fellows. I had not heard of the term "tree island" before.

 

[lkwagner]

This was pretty cool to see, brought back memories when I saw that pic by the entry. Wish I was there now since I live in MI and it's soo cold lol

 

[terryo]

I think I'm going hiking in the wrong woods. I never see anything around here any more. Years ago they were all over the woods. My Dad and I would just sit under a tree and spot them. Love that little Juvie....would have been hard for me to put him back, but I would have too.

 

[Moozillion]

Wow- that is SOOOO cool!!!

 

[james1974]

Very cool indeed!

 

[CharlieM]

Great photos! Nice to see so many thriving out there.

 

[diamondbp]

Thank you thank you for this post! Its such a pleasure to see beautiful turtles and beautiful photos, especially florida box turtles. One day I hope to photograph some floridas in the wild. We need more post like this! More "in the woods" post

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Great Photo essay Carl, Glad your secret spot comes with guards for the wildlife. A few places found like that in New Jersey, but no guards, no tell.

 

[MichaelL]

Love this post so much! They are not so common up in north central florida, so when I do see one it makes my day. Thanks for putting all those pics!!!

 

[PJay]

Makes me happy to see this old post surface again. It's nice we have such history on this forum and people to puruse it.