Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Species Profile – Eastern Box Turtle
The box turtle was named for its ability to completely box up inside its shell when it feels threatened.   This small, charismatic terrestrial turtle is seen frequently in fields, forests and neighborhoods throughout North Carolina  and is the most common terrestrial turtle in the eastern United States.

Eastern Box Turtle Observation Guide for Herpscapers (Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation)
The head and shell of the Eastern box turtle often have striking yellow to orange markings, but as with many kinds of turtles, the beautiful colors darken with age. Females usually have dark to light orange eyes, while mature male eyes are typically red.

Eastern Box Turtle (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
This turtle is omnivorous, eating plants and grasses, mushrooms, fruit, insects, earthworms, snails, salamanders, and road-kill.

Eastern Box Turtle (Pennsylvania State University)
Box turtles are long lived animals that are relatively slow in reproducing. They reach sexual maturity only after four or five (or possibly twenty!) years of life, produce relatively small numbers of eggs, and have a high hatchling mortality rate.

Eastern Box Turtle (Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina)
Eastern box turtles are declining over much of their range. They are very susceptible to habitat fragmentation, and road-related mortality. They also suffer from collection as pets. Because they take so long to mature, it is hard for box turtle populations to recover from these pressures.

Box Turtles: Disappearing Gems of the Forest (North Carolina Wildlife Federation)
Learn the amazing life history of North Carolina’s state reptile, the threats box turtles face, and how you can support them.