Ornate Box Turtle An Endangered Species in Wisconsin
After a winter hibernating in one of the zoo buildings, the newest addition to Wildwood Zoo made its debut recently in its outdoor enclosure. The Ornate Box Turtle’s new home is in the former domestic rabbit exhibit, and provides visitors with a unique opportunity to view an endangered Wisconsin species.
“We think it’s a really cool opportunity to highlight a native and endangered Wisconsin species,” said Marshfield Parks & Recreation Zookeeper Steve Burns. “This species is really cool. It’s actually our only native box turtle in Wisconsin.”
Called “box turtles” due to their unique hinged shells, these turtles can fold up their shells to protect themselves from predators, completely closing up like a box. Males and females are distinguished by the color of their irises, with males having red eyes and females having yellowish-brown eyes. Additionally, females are usually larger, with the males having longer and thicker tails.
Found in dry open to semi-open woodlands, prairies, and oak savannas, Ornate Box Turtles can be found in several counties in southern Wisconsin. An endangered species in the state, one of the main threats to the Ornate Box Turtle is crop cultivation (such as corn), road construction, and traffic. Roadkill is a major cause of mortality.
Though protected by law in Wisconsin, the pet trade has also had a negative impact on the species.
“When you’re buying a pet, you always want to make sure it is coming from a reputable dealer that knows the origins of their animals so you don’t end up with a turtle that came illegally from the wild,” said Burns.
Currently, the Wisconsin DNR is actively working to restore populations by taking eggs and raising the young in a protected environment before re-releasing them into the wild.
