When you think of a turtle, you may imagine one swimming casually in a pond or gracefully in the great blue ocean. But not all turtles share the same love for the water. Eastern box turtles like Dart much prefer crunchy leaves and dirt underneath tall trees. These turtles are terrestrial, meaning they live on land while their counterparts are aquatic, meaning they live in the water.

Terrestrial turtles like box turtles are equipped with adaptations that make them perfect for cruising the forest floor. Long claws help them burrow in the soil to cool down or to take a nap. Their brown, green, and yellow coloration help them camouflage with the forest understory. And their “box” like shells can completely close – containing their head and limbs too! This helps protects themselves from hungry predators.

Terrestrial turtles would rather be under a tree than in water.

Now that you know where box turtles like to roam and call home, you may be surprised to find out that your own backyard may be a perfect habitat for them! Of course, if you do happen to find a box turtle or any kind of wildlife in your backyard, make sure to observe from a safe distance and snap a photo!

So now we will take some inspiration from Dart’s wild habitat and create some art – natural paintbrushes!

Here’s what you need to get started:

• Collect clusters of pine or cedar needles. If you don’t have any pine or cedar trees, you can use other types of leaves
• Twigs about the length of a pencil
• String or twine to tie the needles or leaves to the twig
• Paint or mud  (just mix dirt and water)
• Painting surface (be sure to have an adult help you select something appropriate)

Nature gives us all we need, even paintbrushes

Once you collect your items, fasten your needles or leaves to your twigs and now you have a natural paintbrush! Dip your brush in your paint let your creativity go wild. Thinking of what to paint? Use the great outdoors for inspiration or close your eyes and create something more abstract. Either way, have fun!