Terrapene carolina carolina
Eastern Box Turtle

    • Habitat:
      Forests, scrub, fields, meadows, swamps, marshes, and thickets
    • Threats:
      - Habitat destruction and fragmentation
      - Road and railroad mortality
      - Disease transmission
      - Collection for personal use and the illegal pet trade
    • Conservation Efforts:
      - Repatriation and reintroduction programs
      - Field surveys
      - Protected from commercial collection in all range states
    • Wild Population:
      Decreasing; abundant in some areas, while scarce in others
    • Endangered Status:
      Vulnerable

Fast Facts

They have the most advanced closure system with their plastron.

During the winter the Eastern Box Turtle selects microhabitats to stay in that are warmer.

Species Snapshot