King Bowser the Eastern Box Turtle

Hatched: Unknown

Arrived at WSWC: August 8, 2023

Sex: Male

King Bowser came to the wildlife center after being hit by a car in Hershey, PA. By the time he was found and brought to us his broken shell had already begun to set and sadly a large piece was detached. Thankfully the remaining tissue hardened to protect Bowser’s vital organs, but leaves much of his leg and soft tissues exposed to predators. After being deemed non-releasable in fall 2024, Bowser joined our education team as a shining example of turtle resilience.

About Eastern Box Turtles

  • Size: Typically range from 4.6 - 6 inches in length. Largest known Eastern Box Turtle was 9.25 inches in shell length. Hatchlings emerge from the egg only 1.25 inches in length.

  • Lifespan: Between 50-80 years in the wild and in captivity. Oldest known Eastern Box Turtle lived to be 138 years old!

  • Diet: Eastern Box Turtles are omnivores, eating a variety of plants and animal matter. Young box turtles consume more animal matter than adults who typically eat more plants.

  • Reproduction: Male and female turtles reach sexual maturity between five and 10 years of age. Nesting begins in May and lasts until July with females digging nests to lay their eggs and bury them. One successful mating can produce fertile eggs for up to 4 years! Females generally lay one to five clutches of one to 11 eggs per year. Generally, only 1 in 1,000 eggs will survive to adulthood.

  • Range: Prefer thick woodlands and are more terrestrial than other native turtle species. However, they still spend time swimming and enjoying time in moist areas. Eastern Box Turtles can be found from southern Maine to southern Illinois and as far south as Alabama and Georgia.

  • Important Facts: Box Turtles don’t live in their shell, they ARE their shell. A turtles spine runs right down the middle of their carapace, with the rest of the rest of the upper shell acting like our ribs to protect the turtles organs. The lower shell also protects the turtle and each species has varying levels of protection based on their natural predators. Box turtles have a special hinge on their plastron that allows them to completely close their shell with all limbs and their head inside!