Since the 1940s, scientists have tracked Eastern box turtles at the Patuxent Research Refuge as part of one of the longest-running wildlife surveys in the U.S. This research reveals their movements, survival strategies, and use of habitats. With box turtle populations in steep decline due to habitat destruction, road mortality, and illegal trafficking, information gathered can help researchers work toward solutions. Join us to learn about this project and its findings with an overview from Dr. Andy Royle, senior scientist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center. We’ll then head outdoors to search for turtles in the nearby woods. We’ll be hiking about two miles at an easy pace with plenty of stops. May is peak turtle season, so we should be able to sight turtles. We may also meet a captive turtle at the building, too.