• Devils Jump

    Big South Fork

    National River & Recreation Area KY,TN

Turtle Trax: The Adventures of Tim the Eastern Box Turtle

Tim the Turtle

Tim the Turtle

NPS

What is it like to be a turtle? Follow along with Park Ranger Debbie Zimmerman and Park Biologist Steve Bakaletz as they track the movements of Tim the Eastern Box Turtle. Tim was successfully released on the afternoon of August 5th during a bleacher feature at Blue Heron. His behaviors and activities will be posted right here on a bi-weekly basis.

 
Tim the Turtle 8-13-11

Tim the Turtle under the boulder

NPS Park Ranger Debbie Zimmerman

Saturday August 13, 2011, 7:30 am: Tim was tracked and sighted at Blue Heron on the interpretive trail area. He was under some leaves next to a huge boulder just off the paved trail above the entertainment display in the curve where the Blue Heron loop trail leads off up the hillside. Did you know Eastern Box Turtles can eat poisonous mushrooms with no ill effect to them? What would happen to a predator if they were to consume an eastern box turtle that has ingested poisonous mushrooms?

 
Tim the Turtle 8-20-11

Tim the Turtle in the culvert drainage

NPS PARK RANGER DEBBIE ZIMMERMAN

Sunday August 21st: Tim was found between the "Bathhouse" and the "Moving" ghost structures just off the paved interpretive trail at Blue Heron. He was in the culvert waterway getting a drink. Did you know that turtles use the environment to regulate body temperature?

Did You Know?

Park interpreter presents program on Longhunters.

Longhunters were some of the first Europeans to traverse the Big South Fork region.  It is said they were called longhunters either for the long rifles they carried or because the were typically gone on hunting trips for so long, sometimes up to a year.