Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata), listed as Endangered in Wisconsin, prefers mesic prairies, dry-mesic prairies, sand prairies, oak savannas, and open to semi-open woodlands. They overwinter in deep sand and/or well drained soils in open canopy microhabitats supporting sparse vegetation and in areas of disturbed soils such as the edges of sand blows. Ornate box turtles may be active from early-March through mid-November. They nest in early-June and young typically hatch in August or early-September, although some hatchlings emerge the following spring. See the species guidance document for avoidance measures and management guidance from the Natural Heritage Conservation Program.
