A wild eastern box turtle who was kept as a pet for decades has been rehabilitated by a rescue in New Jersey and got her first chance to see the sun in decades this month.

Rockalina the eastern box turtle had never ventured outdoors since 1977 — now she’s healing and getting to feel grass beneath her claws. Accessibility statement Skip to main content.

Rockalina was an adult eastern box turtle living in the wild when she was taken into a New York home in 1977. When a reptile rehabilitation center got a hold of her this February, they worried for ...

It’s not uncommon for turtles to live up to 60 years, and they have a tiny home range. A box turtle removed from its native habitat will spend the rest of its life trying to get home.