Check out what I found!
Whoa! What a cute little turtle! These turtles kind of look like tortoises, especially since they are primarily terrestrial. The full grown adults remain rather small compared to some turtles, but unlike many species, these can actually shut their shells and hide inside. This makes them somewhat shy and suspicious. This tiny one probably hatched last year, and I found it hiding beneath a rock. They sometimes crawl into water or hide beneath things during the heat of the day to help regulate their body temperatures since they are cold-blooded animals. This one was both a surprise and a pleasure to find. It was found in one of our pastures and released into our garden. Enjoy the photos.