Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina [return to Home Page]

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Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: MD
County: Prince Georges
Date: 28 June 2001

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Keywords: A FEre gray turtle USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center yellow turtle
Additional Information:


Figure 1.   Sam Droege (Wildlife Biologist) examines an Eastern Box Turtle on 28 June 2001.   The Patuxent River is in the background.

Figures 2–5.   The same turtle.   In Figure 5, Dan Kjar is examining the turtle.


This turtle lacked growth rings on its carapace which indicates that it is a very old turtle perhaps as old as 100 years, the age attained by some individuals of this species.

For more information, please see “Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle” on this Website.

Please click here for more information on the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.


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Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: DC
County: not applicable
Date: April 2001

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: Tudor House
Keywords: A brown turtle FEre gray turtle Tudor House yellow turtle
Additional Information:


For more information, please see “Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle” on this Website.


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Click on image to enlarge.


Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: DC
County: not applicable
Date:

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: Tudor House
Keywords: A brown turtle FEre gray turtle Tudor House yellow turtle
Additional Information:


For more information, please see “Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle” on this Website.


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Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: NJ
County:
Date: July 2002

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: New Jersey Pine Barrens
Keywords: A brown turtle New Jersey Pine Barrens NJPB2002 yellow turtle
Additional Information:


Dr. Dan Nicholson and Mr. Hiroshi Yasu examine a female Eastern Box Turtle.

For more information, please see “Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle” on this Website.


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Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: WV
County: Morgan
Date:

Photographer: Susan Hitch

Identifier:
Collector: not applicable
Location: Sleepy Creek
Keywords: A brown turtle DMWP DMWPre Forest Ecology Fere gray turtle yellow turtle
Additional Information:


For more information, please see “Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle” on this Website.


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Click on image to enlarge.


Scientific name: Chordata: Reptilia: Testudinata: Emydidae: Terrapene carolina
Common Name: Information Sheet, Eastern Box Turtle

Country: USA
State/District: NJ
County:
Date: July 2002

Photographer: E. M. Barrows

Identifier: E. M. Barrows
Collector: not applicable
Location: New Jersey Pine Barrens
Keywords: A brown turtle Forest Ecology Fere gray turtle information sheet yellow turtle
Additional Information:


Eastern Box Turtles are native to the U.S. from Maine through Florida and west from southern Michigan through eastern Texas (Behler and King 1979; Cohn 2003).   Individuals can live up to 100 years.   Young individuals have growth rings on their carapace venters, and very old individuals do not show such growth rings.

Eastern Box Turtles are terrestrial.   They are common in some U.S. forests and occur in small parks and yards.   These Turtles are diurnal and usually consume berries, earthworms, insects, mushrooms (including ones poisonous to Humans), slugs, snails, and wild strawberries.   They occasionally scavenge on dead birds and mammals.

Adult male Eastern Box Turtles have red eyes, and adult females have yellow-brown eyes.   Males, on the average, are slightly larger than females and have concave plastrons, while females have flat plastrons.   Mating occurs in March through October.   Females become sexually mature at about 10 years of age.   Mothers usually lay 4–5 eggs in flask-shaped nests in soil.   Eggs hatch in about 80 days.   Hatchlings often overwinter in their natal nests.

Predators of Eastern Box Turtles include Coyotes, Foxes, Humans and Northern Water Snakes, Raccoons, Skunks, and Wild Hogs.   New York Indians ate meat of this turtle, made ceremonial rattles out of its shells, and buried this species with their dead.   Many people died from eating meat of this turtle, after it ate toxic mushrooms.   The National Park Service is monitoring the Eastern Box Turtle population in Rock Creek Park (Cohn 2003) where this species is threatened.   The Eastern Box Turtle population at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Maryland, appears to be stable.

Local and state laws prohibit the sale of these Turtles.


References

Behler, John L. and F. Wayne King.   1979.   National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians.   Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY.   743 pp.

Cohn, D’Vera   2003.   Box Turtle feared on its last legs. Rock Creek Park Creatures face many enemies.   Washington Post   7 September: C1, C7.


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