Western box turtle, Ornate box turtle
The Western box turtle (Terrapene ornate) is a species of North American box turtle. It is one of two recognized species of box turtle in the United States, having two subspecies. The Western box turtle is also the official state reptile of Kansas since 1986.
The Western box turtle has a shell that is less domed than other species of box turtle, appearing to be slightly flattened. Their coloration is generally black or dark brown, with yellow striping.
Western box turtles are found in the central United States from western Indiana, to eastern Texas, and into Louisiana; they can also be found in Northeastern New Mexico. These turtles inhabit open treeless areas such as prairies and grasslands. Subspecies Desert box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) inhabits the driest areas of all the box turtle species including desert fringe.
Western box turtles are solitary and interact with each other only during the breeding season. They are terrestrial and when not foraging spend most of their time in underground burrows. They dig deep burrows to escape the heat and allow access to higher humidity content. Western box turtles usually forage early in the morning before the sun gets too hot or before sunset. They may also come out from their burrows to search for food after the rain or during summer rains. When the weather gets colder they retreat in their underground burrows and hibernate during the winter. Depending on subspecies Western box turtles show different behaviors when they feel threatened. Ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata ornate) are generally bold in their approach to predators, often stretching their legs and head out in an attempt to look big. Desert box turtles (T. o. luteola) are more likely to close up into their shell and utilize their hinged plastron as protection.
Western box turtles are omnivores. Their diet includes beetles, earthworms, grasshoppers, spiders, caterpillars, slugs, berries, fruits, and plants. They also eat small reptiles, eggs, and carrion.
Western box turtles are polygynandrous (promiscuous) meaning that both the males and the females have multiple partners during the breeding season. Their breeding season starts in late April and lasts until late July. Females can delay implantation and store a clutch, awaiting good conditions for laying the eggs. Western box turtles dig shallow nests in sandy soil often underneath rocks or vegetation. The female lays her clutch that contains 2 to 8 eggs and then abandons the nest. The young are independent at hatching and do not receive parental care. Female Western box turtles become reproductively mature at 5 years of age, while males start to breed when they are 8 years old.
Western box turtles suffer from the loss of their native habitat due to residential and agricultural expansion. They are also frequently hit by cars when crossing roads.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Western box turtle total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
