Box turtles are in decline in the suburbs and rural areas around Montgomery County

Box turtles are amazing little animals. The word turtle usually equates to a reptile that primarily lives in water. However, box turtles spend the majority or all of their life on land. Being territorial, box turtles live in a designated area that provides them with food, water, shelter and places to raise young. They feed on a multitude of items, including worms, insects, fruits, berries, mushrooms, plants, fish, small animals and even occasionally carrion. Two or three decades ago, box turtles used to be fairly commonly observed in the suburbs and rural areas around Montgomery County, especially after a heavy spring or summer rain. Seeing three or four box turtles in a day was commonplace. Now, if you observe three or four a year you are lucky.

Source: The Courier of Montgomery County, August 12, 2014
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