Fire damage can do that, yes. There is no way of knowing if it has smoke damage to its lungs without a veterinary assessment, but the eyes are bright, nares look clear, and the skin appears not to have any open wounds. Did you see any head bobbing, or open mouth breathing?
That is an Eastern Box Turtle. Native to the area. And, yes, fire damage to the carapace. I has been in a burn. However, it does otherwise look good.
It is an Eastern Box Turtle as others have said. It looks perfectly fine except for the very old shell damage.
That's an old Eastern Box Turtle, native and lovely to see. Could be 50 years old. Their shells get like that. Also a tortoise can't survive their shell being burned in a fire.
The agony they must go through boggles my mind, but a tortoise's ability to recovery from horrific shell injury is miraculous. We've managed to rescue many burned tortoises in the fires that have occurred around Port Elizabeth. The shells can grow back over time, but the scutes look different, almost like they have merged (melted). Smoke inhalation and damage to their respiratory system kills most.
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Ok I should have specified, small American terrapins cannot. I'm guessing in those cases the tortoise was mostly burried and just the back end got heated up. Gopher tortoises here can survive like that too. But not in this op case of having the entire shell roasted.The grasslands fires in Africa are also much faster and not as hot as the forest fires here. I've personally experienced both.The agony they must go through boggles my mind, but a tortoise's ability to recovery from horrific shell injury is miraculous. We've managed to rescue many burned tortoises in the fires that have occurred around Port Elizabeth. The shells can grow back over time, but the scutes look different, almost like they have merged (melted). Smoke inhalation and damage to their respiratory system kills most.
My Cape Angulate, Burnie, lost 60% of her shell due to fire damage and it has grown back over time. I'll get some close ups and post.
A Turtle's Story of Revival After Prairie Burns
Stay up-to-date on Dane County Humane Society news, including information on events, stories about our animals and people, and important pet information.
Thank you for that amazing article! Please keep posting the updates as the shell changes, or anything else you discover.The agony they must go through boggles my mind, but a tortoise's ability to recovery from horrific shell injury is miraculous. We've managed to rescue many burned tortoises in the fires that have occurred around Port Elizabeth. The shells can grow back over time, but the scutes look different, almost like they have merged (melted). Smoke inhalation and damage to their respiratory system kills most.
My Cape Angulate, Burnie, lost 60% of her shell due to fire damage and it has grown back over time. I'll get some close ups and post.
A Turtle's Story of Revival After Prairie Burns
Stay up-to-date on Dane County Humane Society news, including information on events, stories about our animals and people, and important pet information.
The agony they must go through boggles my mind, but a tortoise's ability to recovery from horrific shell injury is miraculous. We've managed to rescue many burned tortoises in the fires that have occurred around Port Elizabeth. The shells can grow back over time, but the scutes look different, almost like they have merged (melted). Smoke inhalation and damage to their respiratory system kills most.
My Cape Angulate, Burnie, lost 60% of her shell due to fire damage and it has grown back over time. I'll get some close ups and post.
A Turtle's Story of Revival After Prairie Burns
Stay up-to-date on Dane County Humane Society news, including information on events, stories about our animals and people, and important pet information.
Nice to see the healing that has taken place over time. How long has it been since the tortoise was burned and do you happen to have any "before healing" photos? If so, it would be interesting to see them as well.
I wish I had taken "before" photo's, sadly not. She's been in my care sixteen years now, but most of the shell recovery / colouration / keritinaisation occurred within the first three years. That black lumpy-looking part at the back took the longest to heal, she looked really bad there and lost two nails off her left hind paw.
