Wed 11 Feb 2009
Eastern Box Turtles Could Become State Reptile!
Posted by Nicole under Action Alerts, Loudoun Wildlife
[5] Comments
We all love our box turtles, don’t we? Well, we have a chance to help make them our state reptile but your email to 
our state delegates is needed to make this happen. Here are the emails for Joe May DelJMay@house.state.va.us and David Poisson DelDPoisson@house.virginia.gov. You can find other delegates here. Just a quick note asking them to pass this legislation making the Eastern Box Turtle our state reptile will make a difference and will only take a minute to do (maybe less if you type fast) .
Here’s a great note I received from our local reptile expert, Dennis Desmond, on this subject. He talks about why this status would help our Eastern Box Turtles and what you can do:
For the past several years many people have tried to make the Eastern Box Turtle the state reptile. Recently, Deborah Brehony has been able to make headway in crafting a bill that would make this a reality. Deborah related to me today that this measure has passed the VA Senate and is now headed for the House. I hope you will take a moment to send a note to Virginia’s representatives encouraging them to support this bill.
The Eastern Box turtle has been in Virginia for millions of years, and, although not uniquely tied to Virginia, it is nevertheless a staple of the Virginia environment. Hundreds of adults and children alike have mentioned to u during displays and presentations how they would see box turtles grazing amongst the strawberries in their yards, or how they would stop to move a box turtle from the road as its negotiated the ever increasing and deadly traffic. Unfortunately, several people have also told us that they are seeing fewer and fewer box turtles in their neighborhoods. Because of the rapid pace of development that has been occurring in Virginia for the past two decades, the eastern box turtle is in rapid decline throughout the state and has probably been extirpated from parts of Northern Virginia.
By selecting the Eastern Box Turtle as the state reptile, it will share a special place with other Virginia wildlife including its birds, mammals, and insects and will earn recognition as an important part of the Virginia landscape. While it will not receive special protection, its selection will certainly bring greater attention to the potential loss of this very beautiful and certainly unique member of the reptile family that has made its home in Virginia
I vote yes and will do!
Last year after one of our torrential rains I found a turtle in our driveway. I had no idea what kind it was, so I looked it up–Eastern Box Turtle. I had no idea where to relocate it. I placed in our backyard near our stream and wished it luck.
I’d appreciate any advice should I see another.
Ms. Ebert:
You did exactly what you should have done with the box turtle, let it go in the same area that you found it. If you find a box turtle in the road, and can safely do so, take it across the road in the direction it was going. If you find an injured box turtle, you can call the Wildlife Rescue League hotline 703 440-0800.
And…one thing that’s neat to do is to take a photo of the turtle so that in future years when you encounter it you can check the pattern and see if its the same turtle
Nicole
p.s. I sent my emails too – I hope lots of people do.
SB1504 passed the House Rules Committee today 10 – 5.
House Republicans continue to fight against the bill, saying it is “unnecessary” in these dire and unsettling times…I say the EBT is patient, persistent, resistent, resilient…Hard-shelled and long-lived….What better example do we need? AND, It costs NOTHING and hurts NOBODY.
YOU CAN HELP NOW, by emailing, writing or calling Virginia Republican Delegates, and saying “Yes, Virginia, We DO want a reptile.”
House crushes box turtle’s bid to be state reptile
February 20, 2009 – 1:44pm
RICHMOND, Va. – The eastern box turtle still gets no respect from the Virginia General Assembly.
The House of Delegates on Friday crushed any hopes the unassuming terrestrial turtle had of becoming the official state reptile.
It met the same fate in 1999.
Delegate Frank Hargrove of Hanover asked why Virginia would make an official emblem of an animal that retreats into its shell when frightened and dies by the thousands crawling across roads.
If the state needs an official cold-blooded animal, Hargrove suggested the fearsome rattlesnake instead.
Perhaps the fatal blow was the disclosure that the creature’s scientific name implied too close a relation to a Virginia rival: Terrapene Carolina.
(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)