An eastern box turtle(Terrapene carolina) crossed the street on a recent spring morning in far Northern Maryland.To ensure it got to a suitable habitat in one piece,I picked it up and walked it about a quarter of a mile,or a half a kilometer, to a nearby patch of streamside woodland.From its red eyes,I saw it was a male-probably a young male searching for his own territory.
It was at risk from inattentive motorists and children looking for an attractive pet.These are the species' biggest problems,along with habitat loss,which have caused it to be listed as threatened by the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species,or CITES.
Consequently,Maryland has outlawed the sale of box turtles by pet stores and sends officers on raids to enforce the statute.These threatened reptiles really belong in nature where they can live their intended lifestyle and breed.
Few Mid-Atlantic predators can crack the turtles' shells,but Eastern coyotes(Canis latrans var.),with their powerful jaws,sometimes prey on turtles.
No comments:
Post a Comment