Activity, Movement Patterns, and Home Range of the Yellow-Margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) in Northern Taiwan

Abstract

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Thermal preference of the yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) (Testudines: Geoemydidae) inhabiting a mesic lowland forest, northern Taiwan

“…Obtaining higher body temperature can have many benefits for turtles, such as enhanced digestive rates, increased fat mobilization and rates of follicle development (Avery, 1982;Congdon, 1989). Numerous authors have suggested that gravid female turtles are likely to maintain higher body temperature to accelerate egg development (Obbard and Brooks, 1979;Vogt, 1980;Lue and Chen, 1999). However, the higher basking frequency was observed only during nesting sea- Figure 5.…”

“…The yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) is an endangered species, inhabiting mesic forested habitats in low elevation of east Asia, including south-eastern China, Taiwan and southern Ryukyu Archipelagos of Japan (Ernst and Barbour, 1989;Zhao, 1998;Lue and Chen, 1999). It is threatened by overexploitation for pet and food, habitat loss and fragmentation (Zhao, 1998;Chen, Lin and Chang, 2000).…”

A Surfeit of Studies: What Have We Learned from All the Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina and T. ornata) Home Range Studies?

“…Previous studies measuring Terrapene HRs have reported wide variation in HR sizes within and between populations, possibly due to factors such as differences in habitat, demography, and the life history of individuals being tracked. The HR of the males of some terrestrial turtle species are typically larger than females [13,14], presumably because they are seeking females. In contrast, female HR of some species may be larger (e.g., [15]), which is perhaps because of extended excursions for oviposition.…”

Cuora flavomarginata (Gray 1863) – Yellow-Margined Box Turtle

“…In Taiwan, the turtle is found within and in the vicinity of the primary and well-developed secondary forests (Chen and Lue 1999). Based on the results of mark-recapture and radio tracking, Lue and Chen (1999) reported that a northern Taiwan population exhibits distinct seasonal movements and that the patterns of the movements differ remarkably between sexes. Female C. flavomarginata tended to maintain higher shell surface temperature during the nesting season (May to July).…”