NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

Woma pythons are a non-venomous constrictor species native to the shrublands and woodlands of Australia. They are a medium sized snake ranging in length from 4.5-8.5 feet. Males tend to be smaller than females. Woma pythons are generally light brown-green and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly. he scales around the eyes are usually a darker color than the rest of the head. This species also lacks the heat sensing pits of all other pythons. Breeding season occurs from May to August. Females are oviparous and lay 5-20 eggs per clutch. Eggs incubate for 2 months and, once hatched, hatchlings are independent.

Hatchlings will mature between 2-3 years. Snakes are becoming more popular in the pet trade. By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade so be sure to do your research and only purchase from reputable breeders.

Diet

Woma pythons consume mainly small reptiles, as well as mammals, birds, and bird eggs.

They are ambush predators and have a neat trick for attracting prey. Woma pythons wiggle their narrow, pointed tails to entice prey to come close while keeping the rest of their bodies completely still. Once the prey is close enough, the python will lunge forward, bite onto the prey, and coil around it. They will then constrict the prey and swallow it whole. Woma pythons have also been known to squash their prey against the walls of their burrows.

Habitat and Range

Woma pythons are native to the Australian interior, from central Australia into the south-western edge of Queensland, and into northern South Australia. They mainly inhabit grasslands, shrublands, savannas, and woodlands.

Woma pythons hunker down in hollow logs and burrows by day, and hunt by night, though they occasionally may be seen basking during the day in mild weather. Woma pythons have a unique way to travel across hot sands; it will lift parts of its body off the ground and move forward.

Common Physical Features

Woma pythons are a medium sized snake ranging in length from 4.5-8.5 feet. Males tend to be smaller than females. Where they live dictates woma pythons’ coloration. For the nocturnal woma, a distinctive pattern of light and dark brown alternating bands down its body is effective camouflage. These signature stripes may fade with age.

Coloration ranges from yellow to reddish, gray, or olive brown, but they are generally light brown-green and black in color, with a tan-yellow underbelly. The scales around the eyes are usually a darker color than the rest of the head. The woma python has a narrow head and small eyes. Its body is broad and flattish in profile and its tail tapers into the skinny “lure” it uses to entice prey. This species also lacks the heat sensing pits of all other pythons

Adaptations: Snakes have an interesting way of sniffing out their prey items. Like other reptile species, ball pythons have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects. Their tongues are forked at the end, splitting in two directions in a V- shape, allowing the snake to pick up scent particles from two different directions. When the tongue is brought into the mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, the organ will process the information and determine which side of the tongue the scents came from. This will inform the snake which direction to go to find that scent. (If it picks up the scent on the left fork, then it knows to go to the left. If it picks it up on the right, then it goes to the right. And then if it picks up the scent on both forks then it knows the scent is coming from straight ahead. )

Woma pythons are efficient constrictors/squishers of prey. Should a prey item find itself in the woma’s burrow, there may not be enough room for it to properly wrap around and constrict the animal, so instead, the snake squishes it against the burrow walls. Like other snakes, they do not have moveable eyelids. Instead, they have a special clear scale that covers the eyes, making them appear to be always awake. Not having eyelids allows the snake to refrain from blinking and keep its cover when it is camouflaged. Womas will use their tail to lure prey close before constricting or squishing them.

They have powerful body muscles to squeeze and suffocate prey. Snakes have a highly flexible skull that allows them to swallow their prey whole. Contrary to popular belief, they do not actually unhinge/dislocate their jaws to swallow prey because there isn’t anything to actually unhinge/dislocate! A snake’s jaw is only loosely joined to its skull by ligaments, which allows the jaw to be solid enough to bite, but flexible enough to expand for swallowing. Once prey is inside the mouth, the snake alternate using the left and right sides of the upper and lower jaws to “walk” the prey to the back of the throat where powerful muscles will help force the prey down the rest of the body. To better visualize the movement of the jaw imagine laying on your stomach and crawling using your elbows and knees to move. That is similar to how the snake’s upper and lower jaws work to push the food into the mouth and down the throat.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Breeding season occurs May-August. A female will lay her eggs inside her burrow the following September-October. Woma pythons are oviparous and lay 5-20 eggs per clutch. Once the eggs are laid, females will coil around them for temperature and humidity control. Since pythons cannot regulate their internal body temperature, they cannot incubate their eggs per se; instead, they raise the temperature of their eggs by small movements of their body. The eggs will hatch in 2-3 months. Hatchlings are independent and will mature within 2-3 years.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Many snake species are becoming more popular in the pet trade. Many people don’t realize, however, just how much work goes into caring for reptile species. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.

By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. Oftentimes these exotic pets are taken out of their natural habitat to be sold in the pet trade, which can be detrimental to wild populations. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.

What can we do?: Be sure to fully research any pet before buying one. While you may think a reptile would make a cool pet, it’s important to know all of the care that goes into providing that animal with the best possible welfare, and as mentioned before reptiles require a lot of extra care. It is important to make sure that if you do buy an exotic pet that you are buying it from a reputable breeder, someone who knows how to properly care for the animal and hasn’t taken that animal from its natural habitat.

Do not release an unwanted pet into the wild. While you may think that you are doing something good by releasing the animal back into the wild, animals that have been kept under human care often do not know how to survive on their own out in the wild and could end up getting hurt or dying if left to their own devices.

Fun Facts

• The specific name, ramsayi, comes from Australian zoologist Edward Pierson Ramsay.
• The Woma Python eats many species of Australia’s most venomous snakes and is actually immune to venomous snake bites.
• Woma pythons are preyed upon by the king brown snake Pseudechis australis, also called the mulga snake.

Bibliography

• https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/woma-python
• https://www.australiazoo.com.au/wildlife/our-animals/woma-python/
• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2176/83765377

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

Pancake tortoises are a unique species of tortoise both physically and behaviorally. They grow to be about 6-7 inches in length and can be found in the scrublands and rocky outcrops of Eastern Africa. Their unusually thin, flat, and flexible shell makes the pancake tortoise lighter and quicker than other tortoise species. Instead of hiding inside of their shell, pancake tortoises will run from predators and use their flexible shells to wedge themselves into narrow rock crevices to hide. The yellow and brown patterns running along the shell provide natural camouflage in their habitats. Breeding occurs between January and February. Although they can produce numerous eggs throughout the summer, females will only lay one egg at a time in loose, sandy dirt from June to August. Eggs will hatch within 4-6 months and hatchlings are independent as soon as they hatch

Diet

The pancake tortoise is strictly vegetarian, and its diet consists primarily of dry grasses and most other vegetation. They will also take advantage of fallen fruit and seeds, and even indulge on succulents such as aloe.

Habitat and Range

Pancake tortoises are native to the arid savannas and scrublands of Kenya and Tanzania. An introduced population is also found in Zimbabwe. Kopje habitats, which consist of rocky outcrops, also provide a good habitat for pancake tortoises. They live in isolated colonies and spend much of their time hidden among the rocks. The rocky outcrops and scrublands these turtles occupy can be 100-6,000 feet in elevation.

Pancake tortoises generally only emerge from their shelter for about an hour at a time, usually in the morning and early evening, to bask and feed. They never stray too far from their shelter. Pancake tortoises are the fastest of all the tortoise species. Thanks to their lightweight shell, these tortoises are able to escape quickly if they do happen to run into trouble.

The pancake tortoise is surprisingly social and gets along well in a group as long as there is food for all. As many as ten tortoises have been found sharing the same crevice. Pancake tortoises are one of 53 tortoise species that inhabit Africa. However, they are the only member of the genus Malacochersus.

Common Physical Features

Pancake tortoises can grow up to be 6-7 inches long and weigh about 1 pound. The carapace, or top part of the shell, is brown with a variable pattern of radiating dark lines on each scute, or shell plate. The plastron, or bottom part of the shell, is pale yellow with dark brown seams and light yellow rays. The head, limbs, and tail are yellowish-brown. The colors on the Pancake tortoise help to keep it camouflaged while moving around its habitat.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of its body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Adaptations: Tortoises can be distinguished from turtles by a few defining characteristics. Tortoises tend to have high, dome-shaped shells, large, thick limbs with sharp claws, and prefer to eat more vegetation than meat. All of these features enable tortoises to traverse and survive better on land.

Unlike other tortoise species, Pancake tortoises have a flat, flexible shell instead of a dome-shaped, solid shell. Openings between the bony plates of the shell make the pancake tortoise much lighter and more agile than other tortoise species. The flexible bridge, the area where the plastron and carapace connect, allows for the shell to be flattened slightly as the tortoise seeks shelter in rock crevices and inflated to wedge the tortoise into its hiding space, ensuring no predators can pull them out.

Since they cannot hide completely in their shell, these tortoises rely on speed and flexibility. Once they wedge themselves into a rocky crevice, Pancake tortoises will hide until the threat is gone. Spike-like scales on their limbs help to protect the tortoise while it is hiding. This built-in armor can keep the tortoise’s face, arms, and legs safe from bites and scratches from predators.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Pancake tortoises are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. Under human care, breeding can occur year-round, but the breeding season is typically between January and February. The male will pursue the female and will fight with other males for the right to breed with her. From June to August, females will lay one egg at a time in loose, sandy dirt. Eggs will incubate in a hole about 4 inches deep for 4-6 months. Females are able to produce more eggs every 4-6 weeks over the season.

Hatchlings are a mere 1-2 inches long and are independent as soon as they hatch. Their shells are actually dome-shaped when born but begin to flatten as they grow. The sex of pancake tortoise hatchlings is temperature dependent: lower temperatures tend to produce more males, higher temperatures tend to produce more females.

Conservation Messaging

AZA Institutions
As of 2019, Pancake tortoises have been listed as endangered. The greatest threats facing this species are habitat destruction and its over-exploitation by the pet trade. Given the low reproductive rate, populations that have been harvested for the pet trade or have been disrupted by habitat loss may take a long time to recover. Breeding efforts are underway in European zoos, where wildlife care specialists ensure that the eggs are incubating at the proper temperature for the sex needed for the growth of this population. As an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, the Lehigh Valley Zoo is proud to play a role in the conservation community through participation in Species Survival Plans, or SSPs. Our Pancake tortoises are part of a breeding program where we help to maintain captive populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.

What can we do?: By visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo and other AZA member institutions, you’re supporting the highest level of animal care and welfare, along with the promotion of conservation of animals such as the Pancake tortoise.

Fun Facts

• The pancake tortoise is thought to be the fastest tortoise and the best climber, due to the lightness of its shell. They are able to scale nearly vertical surfaces. They are also able to flip upright quickly if they fall on their backs.
• The pancake tortoise is surprisingly social and gets along well in a group as long as there is food for all. As many as ten tortoises have been found sharing the same crevice.
• Long before the name “pancake tortoise” was popular, these animals were called the “soft-shelled” tortoise, due to their pliable plastron.

Bibliography

• https://www.hoglezoo.org/meet_our_animals/animal_finder/african_pancake_tortoise/
• https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/index.php/animals/pancake-tortoise
• https://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/animals/pancake-tortoise.aspx
• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12696/508210

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The Kenyan Sand Boa is one of the smallest boa species in the world, averaging just 15-25 inches long. A native of Eastern Africa, this boa has adapted itself to a life spent beneath the sand of the desert borders and scrublands found there. Its mottled yellow, orange, and brown coloration helps it to blend it its arid surroundings, while its’ wedge-shaped head allows it to glide through the sand as though it were swimming. A hunter by nature, the boa uses the sand to hide itself from prey, ambushing them and dragging them under the sand to either crush or suffocate them. Breeding season occurs primarily in the spring and summer.

Kenyan sand boas are ovoviviparous and after a 4 month gestation period females give birth to 5-20 offspring. Hatchlings are independent at birth and take about 2-3 years to reach maturity.

Diet

Kenyan Sand Boas are strictly carnivorous, feeding on what other small animals they may come across in the desert. Their diet primarily consists of small rodents, lizards, and birds. Occasionally, they have been known to hunt out the nests of small mammals and birds.

The Kenyan Sand Boa is a burrower, spending the majority of its life concealed under/moving through sand and loose soil. Hidden in the sand, they generally lie in wait to ambush small prey, constricting the prey or dragging it beneath the sand in order to suffocate it.

They are largely nocturnal, active during the night or during mornings and evenings while preferring to stay hidden from the sun in the midday heat.

Habitat and Range

Kenyan sand boas are native to Eastern Africa, from Egypt down to the Northern tip of Tanzania, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Chad, Niger, Yemen, and Somalia. It lives within the loose soil of arid and semi-arid regions, desert margins, vegetated sand dunes, and savannah scrublands.

During the day the sand provides protection from the sun, so the boa can save energy to be active at night. Their head is relatively small and has a distinct wedge-shape, excellent for burrowing through sand and soft soil, and their smaller, anterior scales help facilitate burrowing.

Common Physical Features

The Kenyan sand boa is often described as a heavy bodied snake with a blunt head, small eyes, thick, short body, and cone-shaped tail. They are a smaller species of snake averaging between 15-30 inches. Females do tend to be heavier and longer than males. Small males will usually grow to around 15-20 inches long while larger females may grow as much as 30 inches. The sand boa’s belly is typically a white or cream color and its back has orange or yellow coloration with dark brown splotches to help it camouflage in the sand.

Adaptations: Kenyan sand boas have adapted to life burrowed under the sand. The shape and opening of their mouths are positioned in a way that prevents accidental ingestion of sand and soil while the snake is moving through burrows. The keeled scales on the rear portion of the tail, not only aid in protection, but also provide increased traction in soft sand.

The Kenyan sand boa’s head is relatively small and is wedged shaped to facilitate burrowing through their substrate. The boa’s eyes and nostrils are positioned on top of the head so that they remain free of debris when the snake’s body is hidden below the sand. This allows the snake to easily watch for prey nearby while remaining camouflaged. By tunneling through sand, the Kenyan Sand Boa is able to more easily stalk prey, evade predators, and regulate body temperature.

Snakes have an interesting way of sniffing out their prey items. Like other reptile species, Kenyan sand boas have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects.
Their tongues are forked at the end, splitting in two directions in a V-shape, allowing the snake to pick up scent particles from two different directions. When the tongue is brought into the mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, the organ will process the information and determine which side of the tongue the scents came from. This will inform the snake which direction to go to find that scent. (If it picks up the scent on the left fork, then it knows to go to the left. If it picks it up on the right, then it goes to the right. And then if it picks up the scent on both forks then it knows the scent is coming from straight ahead.)

Kenyan sand boas are constrictors. They have powerful body muscles to squeeze and suffocate prey. Snakes have a highly flexible skull that allows them to swallow their prey whole. Contrary to popular belief, they do not actually unhinge/dislocate their jaws to swallow prey because there isn’t anything to actually unhinge/dislocate! A snake’s jaw is only loosely joined to its skull by ligaments, which allows the jaw to be solid enough to bite, but flexible enough to expand for swallowing. Once prey is inside the mouth, the snake alternate using the left and right sides of the upper and lower jaws to “walk” the prey to the back of the throat where powerful muscles will help force the prey down the rest of the body. To better visualize the movement of the jaw imagine laying on your stomach and crawling using your elbows and knees to move. That is similar to how the snake’s upper and lower jaws work to push the food into the mouth and down the throat.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Breeding season for the Kenyan sand boa typically occurs between spring and summer with hatchlings being born around October/November. There doesn’t appear to be any specific mating rituals with this species, but due to their excellent camouflage, males do have to spend some time digging around for the females. Sand boas are ovoviviparous, which means that females will lay eggs inside their bodies, the eggs hatch inside the body, and the mother will give birth to live young. The mother can then reabsorb all of the nutrients left behind from the eggs inside her body. After a 4 month gestation period, female sand boas give birth to 5-20 hatchlings. Hatchlings are approximately 8-10 inches and are completely independent from birth. They reach maturity around 2-3 years.

Conservation Messaging

Conservation of the Natural World
The Kenyan Sand Boa is currently classified as least concern on the IUCN Mediterranean Red List, and little study has been done on possible threats the species may be facing today. However, its numbers have been reported to be declining in Egypt due to habitat destruction, a threat shared by many species across the globe. Saving species from extinction and conserving the natural world and the places that wild animals call home go hand in hand.
From clearing forests for agriculture, to pollution to climate change, today’s natural world is in a lot of trouble. But if we work together, we can make lasting impacts.

What can we do?: One thing that we can do is support sustainable agriculture practices. By purchasing products that are certified by organizations such as Bird Friendly, you are helping in the conservation of forests and habitats around the world. Switching to a more sustainable lifestyle can also help. By using public transport, turning off lights that are not in use, reducing the use of plastic, and using more organic cleaning products we can help to reduce pollution in our environments. Remember the phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle!”

Fun Facts

• Like many other boas and pythons, the Kenyan San Boa possesses vestigial hind limbs, called “spurs,” which are the non-functional remnants of what used to be more complete limbs that their earlier evolutionary ancestors possessed.
• The Kenyan Sand Boa’s tail is similar enough in size and shape to its head that it can confuse predators.
• The Kenyan Sand Boa has become a popular pet for a reason, but research should always be done before committing to caring for one, especially in terms of where the animals has come from. Boas bred in the United States are becoming more numerous and easier to acquire, so care should be taken to ensure that one was not taken from the wild to be sold.
• When food is scarce, these boas can go up to 1 year without eating.

Bibliography

• http://www.szgdocent.org/resource/rr/c-eat2.htm
• Arkive.org
• Utah’s Hogle zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
• Reptiles Magazine
• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13264792/13264801
• https://www.saczoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Kenyan-Sand-Boa.pdf
• https://www.zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo/our-animals/reptiles-amphibians/kenyan-sand-boa/
• https://brevardzoo.org/animals/paws-on/wildlife-detective-training-academy/kenyan-sand-boa/

Physical Description

Crocodile skinks have dark, armor-like, pointed dorsal scales that resemble a crocodile’s scales and long tails. Their eyes are surrounded by their characteristic orange scales. The average length is 8-10 inches with males having white pores on their hind feet and typically being larger and stockier than the females.

Predators

Predators they may encounter include mammals, birds, and other reptiles.

Lifespan

They live an average of 5-12 years.

Reproduction

Family groups tend to include just mothers and their offspring. Females will lay 1 egg at a time and will often curl around it to protect it. She may also display other protective behaviors like biting and vocalizing.

Fun Facts

• Crocodile skinks tend to be shy and will freeze or “play dead” when they are startled.
• There are eight different types of crocodile skinks which are all found in New Guinea, Indonesia, and surrounding areas.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The Western Box Turtle, or Ornate Box Turtle, is a species of turtle that typically inhabits the terrestrial, prairie, or grasslands regions of the Midwestern United States. They range from 4-5 inches in length and are characterized by their dome-like, dark brown shell with flashy yellow lines stemming from the center (hence the name Ornate!). Western box turtles are omnivores that enjoy eating a variety of insects, vegetables, greens, and fruit. Mating season occurs in the spring, with females laying 1-2 clutches per year, each consisting of 1-8 eggs.

Incubation lasts 70-days, and newborn turtles are typically around 3cm when hatched. Maturity occurs between 7-8 years. This species faces challenges from human activities, including agriculture, urbanization, and the pet trade.

Diet

In the wild, the Western box turtle’s diet consists mainly of insects (such as grasshopers, beetles, and caterpillars), spiders, worms, carrion and berries.

Habitat and Range

Western box turtles are found in central and western United States and the adjoining areas of northern Mexico. You can find them from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi, in the Sonora Desert and northwards up to South Dakota and Wisconsin. They prefer desert or semi-desert areas in an arid climate with high temperatures, low humidity, and cool soil, or in waterways within these areas. These animals may actually limit themselves to a range about the size of a football field if their habitat and resources do not fluctuate.

Western box turtles live on prairies and in deserts, depending on subspecies. It usually spends it whole life in a small area (less than a few acres). In the fall, the western box turtle will dig a shallow hole to hibernate in during the winter.

Common Physical Features

Western box turtles are a smaller species of turtle averaging in size from 4-5 inches; females are larger compared to males. The carapace, or top portion, of the shell is less domed and a bit flatter than that of other box turtle species. The coloration of the carapace is usually black or dark brown with yellow striping. The face and forelegs may have a reddish, dark brown, green, or grey coloring.
Females tend to be duller in color when compared to males. Males have brighter colors and reddish/orange eyes, while females are typically much duller and have yellow/brown eyes.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of it’s body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Adaptations: Box turtles are not your typical turtle. Most turtles are adapted to life underwater with flat, streamlined shells, webbed feet for swimming, and a primarily carnivorous diet. Box turtles, on the other hand, have domed shells, thicker limbs with claws for digging, and are more omnivorous, all of which allow for a more terrestrial lifestyle. So while they may be labeled as one, box turtles are actually a bad example of a typical turtle!

Box turtles also have a unique plastron, or bottom of the shell. Their plastron is actually hinged, which allows the turtle to close up completely inside their shell, hence the name “box” turtle. The domed shell allows the turtle to pull its limbs in and the hinged plastron will act like a trap door and shut the turtle inside. This will protect the box turtle from predators trying to claw or bite at it.

Box turtles have sharp beaks for tearing food items into smaller, more manageable bite-sized pieces. Their sharp claws allow then to dig in the dirt to find food and help them traverse their environment easier.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Box turtles are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. They will typically lay 3-6 eggs, each of which are thin-shelled eggs. Unlike most species, the eggs are laid and left unguarded. Females of this species can store sperm for several years and produce fertile offspring up to four years after copulation.

Mating usually takes place in the spring. Each year, females will usually have 1-2 clutches of eggs, which consist of 1-8 eggs. These eggs are white, brittle, and incubate for 70 days. When hatched, they are about 3 cm in size. The nests for these eggs are in well-drained places and are not too deep, about 5-6 cm.

Most male western box turtles reach sexual maturity when their plastron is 10- 11 cm long. For females, the number is 11-13 cm. Males are usually 8-9 years old at this point, while females normally do not reach sexual maturity until they are 10-11 years of age.These turtles hibernate from October to March.

Conservation Messaging

Together with Nature
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are a major concern for the box turtle populations and have put them at risk. Human activities, such as residential and commercial development, farming and ranching, construction of roads and railways, and fishing have all contributed to the decline of Western box turtle numbers.

What can we do?: If you see a box turtle on the road and would like to help it be sure you are moving the turtle in the direction that it was headed. These animals limit themselves to a range about the size of a football field and if you remove them from their home range they can become confused and disoriented and may not be able to find their way home.

Never remove an animal from the wild! Some well-meaning people will trap and relocate “pest” animals but the truth is, trapping rarely ends well for wildlife and is not a long term solution. While you might be thinking you are helping that animal, most people don’t realize the amount of care and time that goes in to caring for these animals, and removing them from their natural environment can be detrimental to the wild populations. If wild animals are not causing damage or posing danger, the best solution is to coexist! If you come across injured wildlife please call your local wildlife rehabilitation center as they are better equipped to handle and care for that animal.

The most important thing that we can do to help sustain their habitats is to “Leave No Trace”. Once you leave nature, no one should know that you’ve been there. This means bringing out anything that you’ve brought in. Additionally, leaving the environment unaltered is equally important.

Supporting wildlands and forests that are habitable to this species can help protect box turtles numbers from further declining.

Fun Facts

• These turtles are the state reptile of Kansas.
• Box turtles eat poisonous mushrooms to make their skin poisonous to predators.
• The temperature of the box turtle nest will determine the sex of the hatchlings, 72-81 degrees tend to be males, 82 and above tend to be females.
• Box turtles form internal maps of a range about 1-2 square miles and will remain in this location for the majority of their lives.

Bibliography

• http://www.ben.edu/
• http://www.cpvh.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_turtle
• https://www.thesprucepets.com/red-eared-sliders-1238387
• https://www.boxturtles.com
• https://www.arkive.org/ornate-box-turtle/terrapene-ornata/
• https://leerichardsonzoo.org/Animals/OrnateBoxTurtle.php
• http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Ornate-Box-Turtle/

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The three-toed box turtle is a vulnerable species of turtle found near sources of water in woodland and meadow habitats of South-Central United States. They are a smaller species of turtle growing up to an average of 4-6 inches in length. They are brown in color with occasional colored spots. They get their name from their hind feet, which only have 3 toes. Three-toed box turtles are omnivores and eat a variety of insects, spiders, worms, small reptiles, carrion, greens, veggies, and fruit. Breeding occurs in June/July with a female looking for a place to nest.

Females lay 3-8 oval-shaped eggs, which incubate for 3 months before hatching. This species faces challenges from human activities, including agriculture, urbanization, and the pet trade.

Diet

Three-toed box turtles are omnivores. meaning they eat a variety of meat and plant matter. Younger box turtles are predominantly carnivorous eating insects, snails, worms, other small reptiles, and even smaller mammals. As they mature, they become more herbivorous and their diet is focused more on land plants. They are particularly fond of earthworms!

Habitat and Range

The three-toed box turtle is found throughout the South-Central United States in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Alabama. They favor cool, damp weather, and will often find a shady area in which to roam. They have been found up and down the East Coast, and individual three-toed box turtles are known to migrate to different areas to maintain a preferred level of humidity in their environment.

You can often find three-toed box turtles soaking in puddles, seeps, and springs. They prefer warmer temperatures but will tolerate colder nighttime temperatures. If temperatures become too cold, box turtles will dig into the leaf litter and soil to brumate. Brumation is the reptile equivalent of hibernation.

Reptiles’ activity, temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate drops during brumation. Because metabolic rate drops during brumation, animals that brumate do not need to eat before entering a state of inactivity since it will take longer for their food to digest.

Common Physical Features

Three-toed box turtles are a smaller species of turtle, growing up to 4.5-6 inches in length. They are the smallest of the T. carolina subspecies and are duller in color. Their shells are usually a uniform olive-brown, and they often lack the bursts of red, yellow, and orange that other box turtles may have. To know if you are looking at a true three-toed box turtle look at its hind feet. If there are 3 toes on the hind feet then you indeed have a three-toed box turtle! Box turtles interbred with common box turtles will sometimes have 4 toes on their hind feet. Males and females will differ in color. Males tend to be a bit brighter with red/orange eyes, while females are darker with yellow/brown eyes.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of it’s body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Adaptations: Box turtles are not your typical turtle. Most turtles are adapted to life underwater with flat, streamlined shells, webbed feet for swimming, and a primarily carnivorous diet. Box turtles, on the other hand, have domed shells, thicker limbs with claws for digging, and are more omnivorous, all of which allow for a more terrestrial lifestyle. So while they may be labeled as one, box turtles are actually a bad example of a typical turtle!

Box turtles also have a unique plastron, or bottom of the shell. Their plastron is actually hinged, which allows the turtle to close up completely inside their shell, hence the name “box” turtle. The domed shell allows the turtle to pull its limbs in and the hinged plastron will act like a trap door and shut the turtle inside. This will protect the box turtle from predators trying to claw or bite at it.

Box turtles have sharp beaks for tearing food items into smaller, more manageable bite-sized pieces. Their sharp claws allow them to dig in the dirt to find food and help them traverse their environment easier.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Box turtles are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. Three-toed box turtles are quite solitary animals and will only come together in order to breed. Females of this species can store sperm for several years and produce fertile offspring up to four years after copulation.

Mating usually takes place after they come out of brumation in June/July. Each year, females will usually have 1-2 clutches of eggs, which consist of 3-8 oval- shaped eggs. These eggs are white, brittle, and incubate for about 3 months. Hatchlings will only be about 1-inch long when born! The temperature of the box turtle nest will determine the sex of the hatchlings: 72-81 degrees tend to be males, 82 and above tend to be females.

Conservation Messaging

Together with Nature
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are a major concern for the box turtle populations and have put them at risk. Human activities, such as residential and commercial development, farming and ranching, construction of roads and railways, and fishing have all contributed to the decline of three-toed box turtle numbers.

What can we do?: If you see a box turtle on the road and would like to help it be sure you are moving the turtle in the direction that it was headed. These animals limit themselves to a range about the size of a football field and if you remove them from their home range they can become confused and disoriented and may not be able to find their way home.

Never remove an animal from the wild! Some well-meaning people will trap and relocate “pest” animals but the truth is, trapping rarely ends well for wildlife and is not a long term solution. While you might be thinking you are helping that animal, most people don’t realize the amount of care and time that goes in to caring for these animals, and removing them from their natural environment can be detrimental to the wild populations. If wild animals are not causing damage or posing danger, the best solution is to coexist! If you come across injured wildlife please call your local wildlife rehabilitation center as they are better equipped to handle and care for that animal.

The most important thing that we can do to help sustain their habitats is to “Leave No Trace”. Once you leave nature, no one should know that you’ve been there. This means bringing out anything that you’ve brought in. Additionally, leaving the environment unaltered is equally important.

Supporting wildlands and forests that are habitable to this species can help protect box turtles numbers from further declining.

Fun Facts

• In rare instances, three-toed box turtles can exceed a century in age!
• They are the official state reptile of Missouri.
• Box turtles are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day.
• There are currently 6 recognized subspecies of T. carolina – 4 native to the US and 2 native to Mexico.

Bibliography

• https://www.marylandzoo.org/animal/three-toed-box-turtle/
• https://www.nwf.org/Education-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/Eastern-Box-Turtle
• https://srelherp.uga.edu/turtles/tercar.htm
• http://www.psu.edu/dept/nkbiology/naturetrail/speciespages/boxturtle.htm

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The Eastern box turtle is a vulnerable species of turtle found in the open fields, woodlands, pastures, and marshy meadows of Eastern United States. They can grow up to 8 inches in length and are characterized by their dome-like shell with yellow and orange splotches that develop into a pattern across the top of the shell, which fades as the turtle matures. Eastern box turtles are omnivores that enjoy eating a variety of insects, vegetables, greens, and fruit. Breeding season begins in the spring and continues through the summer, with females laying 3-8 eggs per clutch. Incubation lasts 2-3 months and it can take over 5 years for box turtles to mature. This species faces challenges from human activities, including agriculture, urbanization, and the pet trade.

Diet

Eastern box turtles are omnivores. meaning they eat a variety of meat and plant material. Younger box turtles are predominantly carnivorous eating insects, snails, worms, other small reptiles, and even smaller mammals. As they mature, they become more herbivorous and their diet is focused more on land plants.

Habitat and Range

The Eastern box turtle is found throughout Eastern and parts of Central United States, from Southern Maine to Georgia and westward to Michigan, Illinois, and Tennessee. They prefer open fields and woodlands, pastures, and marshy meadows where the habitats are moist and there is plenty of leaves and surface soil to hide in. They can often be found soaking in puddles, seeps, and springs.

They prefer temperatures between 70-85 degrees, but will tolerate colder nighttime temperatures.

Eastern box turtles will form ranges of foraged areas up to the size of 2 football fields over their lifetime. Not yet mature turtles, or unestablished male turtles will move more vastly, but only in one direction. Some turtles’ territories will overlap and they can often be found in groups. During the winter, box turtles will hibernate in soil, mud, or abandoned mammal burrows.

Common Physical Features

Eastern box turtles are a relatively small turtle, growing up to 8 inches in length. Their darker shell is high and domed with splotches of yellow and orange. These splotches form a pattern across the carapace, or top of shell, which will fade as the turtle matures. The unique pattern that forms can actually be used to distinguish between individuals in a population. Females tend to be duller in color when compared to males. Males have brighter colors, reddish/orange eyes, and a more concave plastron, while females are typically much duller and have yellow/brown eyes. They have 5 toes on their front feet and 4 on their hind feet.

A turtle’s shell is actually a part of its body. The turtle’s ribs and backbone fuse together to form the shell. The shell is covered with a layer of protective plates called scutes. These scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up our nails and hair, and can be shed. Turtles shed their scutes for numerous reasons: as they grow, to replace damaged scutes, and to shed off any parasites or disease.

Adaptations: Box turtles are not your typical turtle. Most turtles are adapted to life underwater with flat, streamlined shells, webbed feet for swimming, and a primarily carnivorous diet. Box turtles, on the other hand, have domed shells, thicker limbs with claws for digging, and are more omnivorous, all of which allow for a more terrestrial lifestyle. So while they may be labeled as one, box turtles are actually a bad example of a typical turtle!

Box turtles also have a unique plastron, or bottom of the shell. Their plastron is actually hinged, which allows the turtle to close up completely inside their shell, hence the name “box” turtle. The domed shell allows the turtle to pull its limbs in and the hinged plastron will act like a trap door and shut the turtle inside. This will protect the box turtle from predators trying to claw or bite at it.

Box turtles have sharp beaks for tearing food items into smaller, more manageable bite-sized pieces. Their sharp claws allow then to dig in the dirt to find food and help them traverse their environment easier.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Box turtles are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs outside the body. Unlike most species, the eggs are laid in nests within the leaf litter and left unguarded. Females of this species can store sperm for several years and produce fertile offspring up to four years after copulation, but reproduction doesn’t always come easy. Females take at least 5 years to sexually mature and must find a mate whose home range overlaps theirs. They lay very few eggs and not all will be fertile.

Mating usually takes place in the spring and continues through the summer. Each year, females will usually have 1-2 clutches of eggs, which consist of 1-8 eggs. These eggs are white, brittle, and incubate for about 3 months. The temperature of the box turtle nest will determine the sex of the hatchlings: 72- 81 degrees tend to be males, 82 and above tend to be females.

Conservation Messaging

Together with Nature
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are a major concern for the box turtle populations and have put them at risk. Human activities, such as residential and commercial development, farming and ranching, construction of roads and railways, and fishing have all contributed to the decline of Eastern box turtle numbers.

What can we do?: If you see a box turtle on the road and would like to help it be sure you are moving the turtle in the direction that it was headed. These animals limit themselves to a range about the size of a football field and if you remove them from their home range they can become confused and disoriented and may not be able to find their way home.

Never remove an animal from the wild! Some well-meaning people will trap and relocate “pest” animals but the truth is, trapping rarely ends well for wildlife and is not a long term solution. While you might be thinking you are helping that animal, most people don’t realize the amount of care and time that goes in to caring for these animals, and removing them from their natural environment can be detrimental to the wild populations. If wild animals are not causing damage or posing danger, the best solution is to coexist! If you come across injured wildlife please call your local wildlife rehabilitation center as they are better equipped to handle and care for that animal.

The most important thing that we can do to help sustain their habitats is to “Leave No Trace”. Once you leave nature, no one should know that you’ve been there. This means bringing out anything that you’ve brought in. Additionally, leaving the environment unaltered is equally important.

Supporting wildlands and forests that are habitable to this species can help protect box turtles numbers from further declining.

Fun Facts

• These turtles will hibernate through the winter months.
• Box turtles eat poisonous mushrooms to make their skin poisonous to predators.
• Box turtles form internal maps of a range about 1-2 square miles and will remain in this location for the majority of their lives.

• Bibliography
  https://www.nwf.org/Education-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/Eastern-Box-Turtle
• https://srelherp.uga.edu/turtles/tercar.htm
• http://www.psu.edu/dept/nkbiology/naturetrail/speciespages/boxturtle.htm

NOTE: Education Animals are “behind-the-scenes” animals & only appear to the public during Educational events. This includes scheduled events or programs such as daily animal mingles, private onsite programs, and zoo reaches. For more information, please reach out to edureservations@lvzoo.org.

Program and General Information

The blue-tongued skink is a lizard native to the forest, scrublands, and deserts of Australia and New Guinea. They can reach lengths of almost 2 feet and weigh about a pound. Blue-tongued skinks have thick, silvery scales with dark bands that make them appear glossy; coloration can vary. They use their bright blue tongues to hunt prey, ward off predators, and attract a mate. Blue-tongued skinks are solitary lizards that only meet in the spring or winter to breed. Males will pursue females. These skinks are ovoviviparous and females give birth to 10- 20 live young. Skinks take about 3 years to mature. Because of their docile nature and relatively decent size, skinks have become popular pets. By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade so be sure to do your research and only purchase from reputable breeders.

Diet

Blue-tongued skinks are omnivores that eat both plant and animal matter. Their typical diet consists of a mixture of vegetables and protein, with minimal fruit. In the wild, they eat a variety of insects, snails, wildflowers, and fleshy leaves. Under human care, skinks can eat many types of proteins including pinky mice, mealworms, turkey, chicken, and insects. In order to ensure reptiles under human care receive the proper nutrients, many have their diets dusted with a multivitamin supplement with D3, which aids in metabolism. In the wild, skinks get these necessary nutrients naturally by licking rocks or basking in the sun all day.

Habitat and Range

Blue-tongued skinks are native to Australia and New Guinea. They are commonly found in forests, scrublands, and deserts inside burrows or other well-hidden spots. Blue-tongued skinks are specially designed to crawl into burrows for shelter and to find food. Their back legs, which look as if they have been put on backward, allow them to crawl backward out of the narrow openings of burrows. Their ear holes are located on the back of their heads and their scales are tightly interlocked and smooth to help keep dirt and debris out when crawling through burrows.

Suburban farms, gardens, and laws can often make a suitable habitat for blue- tongued skinks. Ground cover and lots of mulch provide adequate shelter for the skinks to hide in and skinks will eat many of the insects and other pests that destroy farmers’ crops, acting as natural pest control.

Common Physical Features

Blue-tongued skinks are a larger lizard species growing up to about 2 feet in length. They have a sturdily built body and relatively large head. Males do tend to have a slightly wider body, head, and neck. These skinks usually have a banded pattern that ranges in color from light brown streaks to earthy tones and silver coloration. They have a stout tail with dark bands that are believed to be unique to each individual. Their interlocked scales are supported by bony plates called osteoderms that give them extra protection from predators.

Adaptations: Blue-tongued skinks have unique adaptations that allow them to catch prey and avoid predators. These skins get their name from their bright, blue-colored tongue. They use their tongues to sniff out prey, find mates, and escape from predators. Like other reptile species, blue-tongue skinks have a Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouth. They will stick out their tongue in order to pick up scent particles in the air or from the surface of objects. They will then bring those particles into their mouth to the Jacobson’s organ, which will process the information from the scents. This information can help find potential mates, prey, or predators.

Their blue tongue isn’t just for sniffing! Because they are not quick enough to escape potential predators, blue-tongued skinks will employ a few fascinating defense mechanisms. When threatened, blue-tongued skinks will open their mouths wide and stick out their bright, blue tongue. Bright colors in the wild tend to indicate that an animal is either poisonous or venomous, like our poisonous, brightly colored dart frogs. The blue-tongued skink is neither poisonous nor venomous but uses its bright tongue to trick predators into thinking it is.

Another trick the blue-tongued skink employs is pretending to be a snake. Because of their banded patterns, these skinks can often look like big snakes, especially when hiding in the tall grass. Most predators prefer to stay away from big snakes and will likely avoid the skink if they think it is one. This trick is very useful for avoiding birds of prey. Skinks’ pineal gland can act as a third to spot birds high in the air. Situated on top of the skink’s head (it looks like a dark scale on the head in blue-tongued skinks), the pineal gland can detect changes in light. So, if a bird is flying over the skink, the pineal gland detects the bird’s shadow as it passes the skink alerting the skink of the predator. The skink can then tuck up its limbs and almost slither like a snake would in order to trick the bird into believing it really is one.

If all else fails and the skink cannot trick the predator into leaving it be, it does have a last resort. Like many lizards, blue-tongued skinks can release their tail, a process known as autotomy. Once a predator grabs ahold of the tail, the skink will drop the tail and run in the other direction. The tail continues to move around for a few seconds in order to keep the predator’s attention. While these skinks do have the ability to regrow their tail, it will never come back perfect. They have to regrow the tail using cartilage to replace the original bone, therefore, the tail grows back shorter, off-color, or even misshapen.

Behavior and Life Cycle

Because blue-tongue skinks are solitary, they only meet during breeding season. Males are very aggressive and will fight other males for a chance to breed; they even tend to bruise females during mating. Breeding season occurs during the spring and winter. Blue-tongued skinks are ovoviviparous, which means that females will lay eggs inside their bodies. The eggs hatch inside the body and the mother will give birth to live young. The mother can then reabsorb all of the nutrients left behind from the eggs inside her body. After reproduction occurs, females will give birth to 10-20 live young 100 days later. Several days to a few weeks after birth, baby skinks will begin to explore on their own eating slow- moving insects and licking fruit when available. They take 3 years to mature.

Conservation Messaging

Purposeful Pet Ownership
Although a relatively large-sized lizard, blue-tongue skinks are incredibly docile and rarely bite unless threatened. This has made them quite popular in the pet trade. Many people don’t realize, however, just how much work goes into caring for reptile species. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick.
By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. Oftentimes these exotic pets are taken out of their natural habitat to be sold in the pet trade, which can be detrimental to wild populations. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.

What can we do?: Be sure to fully research any pet before buying one. While you may think a reptile would make a cool pet, it’s important to know all of the care that goes into providing that animal with the best possible welfare, and as mentioned before reptiles require a lot of extra care. It is important to make sure that if you do buy an exotic pet that you are buying it from a reputable breeder, someone who knows how to properly care for the animal and hasn’t taken that animal from its natural habitat.

Do not release an unwanted pet into the wild. While you may think that you are doing something good by releasing the animal back into the wild, animals that have been kept under human care often do not know how to survive on their own out in the wild and could end up getting hurt or dying if left to their own devices.

Fun Facts

• While they may resemble snakes, skinks have external ears and eyelids which make them lizards.
• Feral dogs and cats have become non-natural predators to young skinks. As well, the Northern Blue-Tongued Skink eats the invasive Cane Toad which poisons and kills them. Certain skink populations are decreasing due to this invasive species.

Bibliography

• https://www.honoluluzoo.org/animals/blue-tongued-skink/#1554430906297-55255075-30bc
• https://brevardzoo.org/animals/paws-on/wildlife-detective-training-academy/blue-tongued-skink/
• https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/blue-tongue-skink
• https://www.saczoo.org/animal/blue-tongued-skink/
• https://www.lpzoo.org/animal/northern-blue-tongued-skink/
• https://www.aboutanimals.com/reptile/blue-tongued-skink/#Behavior
• http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Lizards/Blue-Tongue-Skink/
• https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/lizards-and-snakes-alive/nose-hounds/a-world-of-smells/blue-
• https://www.elmwoodparkzoo.org/animal-blue-tongued-skink.php
• https://australianmuseum.net.au/eastern-blue-tongue-lizards
• https://seaworld.org/Animal-Info/Animal-Bytes/Reptiles/Eastern-Blue-Tongued-Skink
• https://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/reptiles/lizards/bluetonguedskink
• http://cincinnatizoo.org/blog/animals/blue-tongued-skink/