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  The ornate box turtle,
found on Iowa's list of endangered animals, is a rare
sight even in its natural habitat of prairies and plains.
Sandy prairies are especially good habitats because
animals can more easily dig the burrows they need for
hibernation and protection from heat. Although loess
soils are not sandy, they are easy to dig into and this
makes the prairies in the Loess Hills a good place for
ornate box turtles. |
 |
 Painted turtles have
yellow stripes on their head and neck, and the outside
edge of their shell is sometimes marked with red. They
usually enjoy basking along the shore or floating on
logs. They mostly eat aquatic plants, insects, and
crayfish. In early summer, 5 to 8 eggs are laid in a nest
scooped out along the shoreline. By mid-summer, the eggs
hatch into one-inch baby turtles. |
Return to Loess Hills Safari Menu
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