It’s time to look back on 2024! Check our blog between Christmas and New Year’s for a variety of stories and memories of 2024 from the staff and volunteers of the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
Those who have read my previous year-end blog posts may be surprised to learn that, this year, I’m not writing about an amphibian. Instead, I’ve chosen to highlight a special reptile: the humble Woodland Box Turtle. Among the most common species I encounter regularly at work, the box turtle is my favorite to work with for many reasons, including its individuality, personality, and resilience. Box turtles are also a species where I feel we can make a significant impact on conservation efforts.
Believe it or not, these turtles can live up to 100 years and reproduce slowly. Most hatchlings do not survive to adulthood, but those that do are generally protected by their natural defense mechanisms, which help to ensure their survival. However, Woodland Box Turtles are considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss and degradation, the black market trade in turtles, and road mortality among other anthropogenetic threats. This is why every sick or injured box turtle that we can return to its home is critical for its local population.
On my days off, I love to take long walks in the woods with my dog. In October, I had a chance encounter with a wild box turtle. However, I quickly noticed that this lovely female turtle was not well. Her eyes were swollen shut and she was lethargic—clear signs of a respiratory infection, which we unfortunately see quite often at the Wildlife Center. I debated for a while whether I should bring her in to work, knowing that would mean many months of captivity for her (all reptiles and amphibians admitted after October 1st must wait until the following spring to be released). But my instincts and experience told me she needed help, so I decided to admit Box Turtle #24-4230 to the hospital.
I'm glad I made that call. An initial exam and radiographs revealed that the turtle wasn't just suffering from an upper respiratory infection, but also from pneumonia and dehydration. She was treated with fluid therapy, injectable antibiotics, and eye drops. Naturally, I followed her progress very closely, checking on her any chance I got. I’m happy to report that she showed marked improvement very quickly! Her respiratory infection has resolved, her eyes are now open and free of discharge, and repeat radiographs confirmed that her lung fields have cleared up significantly.
This case has been especially rewarding and personal for me. While every patient is important, I couldn’t help but become attached to the turtle I rescued months ago. Now that she’s feeling better, I’m looking forward to releasing her in May and am thrilled to have contributed to the conservation of the local box turtle population.
— Rachel Wolffe, LVT