Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine is making strides to protect native box turtles here in Missouri and around the world.
The Box Turtle Project uses tiny sensors to track wild box turtles in Forest Park in St. Louis and at Tyson Research Center, located 20 miles outside the city. By following turtle movements, the researchers can understand how turtles’ health is affected by the world around them and compare findings for turtles in urban and rural environments.
Earlier this year, the Zoo published critical findings about three-toed box turtles’ survival during the winter. This paper found that wild turtles in urban areas are less likely to survive the cold months due to their reduced ability to regulate their body temperature during brumation — a period of dormant activity with reduced metabolism and activity. Box turtles spend this time burrowed under soft soil and leaf litter to protect themselves from the extreme cold.
In urban areas like Forest Park, leaf litter coverage is thinner, wetter, and more densely packed — making it harder for turtles to find well-insulated and suitable brumation sites. Poor insulation means lower shell and body temperatures and a decreased chance of survival for these turtles. This research fills a need for studies focused on understanding the impacts of cold temperatures on urban wildlife.