Oh boy, do I have a tale to tell you about my recent adventure at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma! I was minding my own business, driving my pickup truck, when I spotted a pair of Box Turtles getting busy right in the middle of the road. Talk about some serious “turtley” love!
Mating Box Turtles at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure that Box Turtles don’t have the most exciting sex lives. They don’t have any fancy moves or crazy acrobatics like those pandas or dolphins you see on TV. In fact, they’re pretty slow and steady (pun intended) when it comes to getting it on.
But here’s something you may not know: when Box Turtles mate, the male actually makes a grunting sound that can be heard from several feet away. That’s right, folks, these turtles aren’t exactly the quiet type when it comes to romance. I guess they just can’t contain their passion!
Anyway, back to my story. I couldn’t resist getting a photo of these lovebirds in action, so I jumped out of my truck with my trusty camera and lens in hand.
I snapped a few shots of the turtles and then made sure to give them plenty of space to carry on with their business. After all, I didn’t want to be a turtle Buzzkill! As I drove away, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was to witness such a unique moment in the wild.
So there you have it, folks. My adventure with the Box Turtles of Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. Who knew that these slow-moving creatures could be so entertaining?
Gear Used:
- Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS
Technical:
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
- Date and Time Taken: May 07, 2010 (08:29 A. M.)
- Aperture: f5.6
- Shutter speed: 1/200 (as determined by the camera)
- ISO: 500
- Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
- Focal Length: 400 mm