Eastern Box Turtle Winter 2022-2023 Hibernation

After another hot, record high summer, fall temperatures arrived for only 4 days in October before nightime temperatures in the 20's and 30's arrived in the third week.

Study turtles that were located on Octber 12th and 13th, were deep under leaf cover in the soil. But when located on October 20th and 21st, after 3 sub freezing nghts, the same turtles had all moved, some a long distance. Turtles that traveled to their normal hibernation sites went into the soil in mid november, and those that don't have sites they re-use, stayed in shallow forms until the day and night temperatures turned winter-like.