Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Terrapene carolina baurii
Florida Box Turtle

Big Gum Swamp, Baker Co., Florida
April 24, 2003

The pine-and-palmetto thicket we were walking through was dry at the moment, but the pitcher plants and sphagnum moss showing here and there indicated this was normally a wet and moist habitat.  What a nice surprise to find this adult female box turtle sitting in the middle of the narrow trail!  She was not very cooperative during our photo session, keeping her head withdrawn. We managed to get a few poor pictures before leaving her to her own devices.