I was in the backyard yesterday evening clearing out some overgrown vines when I almost stepped on a tiny baby box turtle (Terrapene carolina). It was so small and cute I just had to stop and take a couple of pictures before moving it to a safer spot. I placed a quarter next to the turtle for scale, and you can get a good idea of just how small it really is.
Moments like these always remind me of why I love living in the country! A few years ago I saw a newly hatched baby box turtle digging its way out of the ground in a nearby park. It was so new that its shell was still shiny and all black. Last year a female box turtle laid some eggs at the edge of our gravel driveway, but unfortunately they did not hatch. I sometimes see adult box turtles on our property, but this is the first time I have found such a small baby. I hope it survives, and that I will see it again!
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