Home range and philopatry in the ornate box turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata, in Iowa

We quantified home range size and philopatry in ornate box turtles, Terrapene ornata ornata, with minimum convex polygons (MCP) and 95% Kernel areas (K) calculated from radio telemetry data in Iowa during 1999-2001. We also analyzed philopatry by mark-recapture data during 1994-2000. Ten adult turtles were followed every other day from May to Sep. 2000 and seven of the turtles were followed in 2001. Mean monthly MCP and K home ranges of males and females did not significantly differ. Mean annual MCP and K home ranges for males were significantly larger than those of females. For an individual, monthly MCP home ranges overlapped on average 19.3% between years and K home ranges overlapped an average of 6.0%. There were no significant differences in annual or monthly home range overlap between sexes for K home ranges, but MCP monthly home range overlap was significantly larger for males. Annual MCP home ranges overlapped on average 40.9% between years and K annual home range overlap averaged 6.8%. Seven years of mark-recapture data were analyzed to determine movements between habitat zones. Turtles were found in sand prairie or shrubby border to sand prairies 69% of the time. Regardless of sex, turtles were twice as likely to be recaptured in the same sub-habitat from where they initially were found compared to the adjacent sub-habitat. Turtles were 2-3 times more likely to be in the adjacent sub-habitat than two sub-habitats away. Given the degree of philopatry exhibited by ornate box turtles in this area, turtle populations faced with habitat fragmentation or destruction will most likely decline.