Ornate Box Turtles
The ornate box turtle is a near-threatened species with the potential to become endangered. Native to the Great Plains of North America, it is one of the only native species of turtle left in Wisconsin.
Image from Dr. Kapfer Professor and Certified Wildlife Biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Ornate box turtles reach a lifespan of 30-40 years while reaching maturity at 8-10 years. Their shells reach a length of 2-6 inches long and a weight of 0.5-1.5 pounds. Due to their small size, it is difficult to document a precise population. Because of this, it is estimated there are less than 1,000 left. Locally they live along the Wisconsin River floodplain counties. They can be found where it is dry, which includes dry-mesic prairies, sand prairies, oak savannas, and open-to-semi-open woodlands (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 2017). Additionally, they may live in southern and western exposures where temperatures are high and the soil is dry. The dry, sandy soils allow the turtles to burrow and have a microhabitat for nesting and brumation. Brumation is an alternative to hibernation. They burrow themselves into soft soil and become inactive because of the weather and food scarcity. Throughout the seasons, their habitat may change due to thermoregulatory needs. During the spring they utilize habitats with open canopies which let them thermoregulate (return to a healthy body temperature) when the temperatures are low. During the summertime, ornate box turtles use more tree canopy coverage. Mesophytic forests provide them with this coverage and also provide a habitat for brumation