“Scoot”  a Three-toed Box Turtle

Scoot was brought to the nature center as a baby after she was rescued from traffic by one of our visitors. Three-toed box Turtles are usually found in wooded and grassy areas, where they eat a wide variety of fruit, small animals, and fungi. They get their name from the three toes on the hind feet (all other box turtles have 4 toes on the hind feet). Like other box turtles, Scoot is able to actually close her shell when she wishes to hide, because of the hinge in the middle of her plastron (the bottom part of her shell).

Photo by C. Baron Photography