Ohio Box Turtles Find Temporary Home at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Twenty-one box turtles have been moved to a new, temporary home at the Cincinnati Zoo after being collected from a school courtyard in West Carrollton.  The turtles were given new homes thanks to a collaboration between the Ohio Division of Wildlife and members of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s animal care and conservation teams.

The turtles range in age from mature adults to small hatchlings and have called the school courtyard home for 30 years. They were originally placed by retired, well-meaning teachers who were unaware of regulations surrounding keeping box turtles. Three decades later, the school is scheduled to be demolished after this academic year, and the district wanted to ensure the turtles were safely rehomed before demolition began.  

“The Division of Wildlife reached out to ask if we would be able to collect and care for the turtles. Helping local wildlife aligns beautifully with the zoo’s mission, so we were quick to say yes to this opportunity for collaboration.” Mollie O’Neil, Cincinnati Zoo’s director of partnerships in local conservation, said in a Sept. 4, 2025, press release. “We’re excited to give them health exams, temporary homes and facilitate a future release into safe, wild habitats where these turtles will thrive best.”

Veterinarians at the zoo are working to ensure that each of the 21 turtles from the school (as well as three others that were found and brought to the zoo on the morning of Sept. 5) are in good health before release. Care for the turtles will continue through the oncoming colder months, with a hope for release in the spring.

In the meantime, the division of wildlife is partnering with the zoo to find the best spot to release the turtles when spring arrives. They are also working together to solidify the best practices for what to do with found or confiscated box turtles to make sure that the populations remain healthy and can carry as their population dwindles. 

So, what should you do if you encounter a box turtle? It’s important to remember that (though they are adorable) they’re wild animals and should not be taken home. They should remain outdoors in their habitat. If you see one and it is uninjured and not in danger, leave it be and observe from afar. You should only engage if it is in a roadway and you can safely move it a short distance away from the road in the direction the turtle was moving.

“Box turtle populations are declining due to habitat loss, being hit by vehicles while trying to cross roads and illegal collection,” O’Neil said in the release. “This collaboration to do the right thing for wildlife gives us an opportunity to provide a better home for wildlife and to share information about how others can do the same.”

For more information about the Ohio Division of Wildlife, visit wildlife.ohiodnr.gov. For more information about the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, visit cincinnatizoo.org.

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