Goldie, The Box Turtle

Goldie, the Box Turtle

I met this little lovely in my driveway Sunday evening as I returned from a quick trip to the local Dollar General to pick up some half and half. Grocery shopping in downtown Ila is an unhealthy proposition. Choices include two gas stations and the aforementioned Dollar General. I drive ten miles to a well-stocked, health-conscious Ingles for my weekly shopping. But in a pinch, one makes do with the Dollar General.

Back to my driveway visitor. I spotted her golden dome from a good twenty feet away. I stopped the truck, grabbed my iphone and snapped a few pictures from a distance. I crossed my fingers that she would not retreat inside her shell before I could get a closeup. She obliged, and I was able to capture this photograph. The brown eyes indicate a female; males have red eyes.

I suspected this was a box turtle (Terrapene carolina), but I wasn’t sure. I’m no turtle expert, but I grew up with a brother who loved all things from nature, and I can remember more than one terrapene at our house over the years. That brother now works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and lives on a 50,000 acre wildlife refuge, making his living doing what he loved as a boy – studying nature. I sent this picture to him, and he confirmed that this is a female box turtle. He said she has more highlights than are typical and suggested the name, Goldie.

I looked for Goldie on my evening walk last night, but had no luck. Melvin was very interested in something in the area where I had seen her before, but I couldn’t see anything. Maybe she laid eggs nearby? Or maybe he was on the scent of a rabbit or a deer. I would love to see Goldie again, but even if I don’t, and I probably won’t, it makes me happy to know that she lives on my ten acres, safe from cars and other dangers. 

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