Wood Turtle

Another 0.40 inches of rain last night and while I was checking my wildlife food plot I found this Wood Turtle at the edge of the field. This is only the second wood turtle I've ever found and the wood turtle is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (http://www.iucnredlist.org).



The age of a wood turtle can be estimated by counting the growth rings and grooves known as ‘annuli’ that mark its shell. This turtle is about 18 to 20 years old.



Unlike snapping turtles which are very aggressive, the wood turtle is very docile and known to be great pets. The wood turtle is legally protected by all the states and provinces where it lives, and is totally protected from commercial collection and trade. Like many endangered turtle species, captive breeding programs are used to satisfying the demand for wood turtles as pets.