Eastern Box Turtle

Description:

Eastern box turtles have a high, dome-like carapace and a hinged plastron that allows total shell closure. The carapace can be of variable coloration, but is normally found brownish or black and is accompanied by a yellowish or orangish radiating pattern of lines, spots or blotches. Skin coloration, like that of the shell, is variable, but is usually brown or black with some yellow, orange, red, or white spots or streaks.

Habitat:

T. c. carolina is native to the eastern part of the United States. This one was observed at the edge of a deciduous southern forest in Edgefield County, SC.