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Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
Please submit sightings of this Endangered species to MDIFW immediately by emailing derek.yorks@maine.gov or (207) 941-4475
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Photo: Jonathan Mays
Distinguishing Characteristics

Photo: Trevor Persons
- Medium-sized, carapace (upper part of shell) approximately 4 to 8 inches in length
- High, dome-shaped carapace is dark brown or black, with yellow, orange, or olive markings
- Limbs and head are dark gray with yellow or orange blotches
- Males have red eyes
- Double-hinged plastron (bottom part of shell) allows turtle to fully seal itself within its shell when threatened
Status and Distribution in Maine
- State Endangered; Species of Greatest Conservation Need
- Rare; possibly no native populations; all records, including in southern region, may represent escaped or liberated pet turtles
- Southern region only
Habitat
- Terrestrial, prefers areas of sandy soils
- Open woods, meadows, brushy fields, cleared powerline right-of-ways
Diet
- Omnivorous, eats invertebrates as well as vegetation, primarily fruit, fungi, and leaves and stems
Seasonal Changes
- Hibernates underground in burrows or beneath leaf litter
Natural History Notes
- In mating, male mounts the shell of the female and position his body to be nearly vertical on top of her—males have been known to fall backwards onto their shell and die that way, unable to right themselves
- Mating occurs May through October, with egg laying in June and July. Females may store sperm for several years before laying fertilized eggs