Turtles have been around for 200 million years—outliving dinosaurs, surviving ice ages, and basically minding their own business the whole time. Tough on the outside, chill on the inside, they seem built to last. So why are they suddenly disappearing? In part one of this two-part series, we hit the trail in search of one surprisingly elusive reptile: the eastern box turtle. These ancient creatures may seem slow, but their decline is happening fast. And the scariest part? We barely understand what it could mean.

Guests:

Thomas Akre, head of the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 

Maxwell Earle, outreach and engagement coordinator for the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 

Chris Polinski, lab manager for the Turtle Conservation Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute