Details
Terrapene carolina
The eastern box turtle is a mostly terrestrial turtle of Nearctic forests and freshwater edges. Diurnal and solitary, it can close its shell tightly for defense.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses deciduous forest, edges, moist meadows, shallow wetlands, and stream margins. Damp soil, leaf litter, sun, and shade all matter.
Shell length is about 11-20 cm and weight about 300-900 g. A high domed shell and hinged plastron are key traits, with yellow or orange markings varying widely.
It walks slowly by day and buries into leaves or soil during heat or drought. Individuals are solitary and may use small home areas for years.
It is omnivorous, eating worms, insects, fungi, fruit, and soft plants. The balance of animal and plant foods changes with season.
Females dig soil nests and lay eggs. Young turtles hide in leaf litter or grass and feed on small invertebrates and other foods.
Its status is listed as Vulnerable. Roads, collection, and habitat fragmentation are serious because long-lived, slow-maturing turtles recover slowly.
