There are only two species of box turtles in the United States, including the Eastern Box Turtle. This omnivorous species serves as the state reptile of North Carolina. The small Eastern Box Turtle is the most common land turtle in the eastern US and can be found along the entire coast from Massachusetts to Florida. Unfortunately they are susceptible to being hit by cars (if you have cheap car insurance, be sure you’re covered for this type of incident) and other human-related environmental hazards. Although their declining numbers have not yet reached a stage of imminent danger, the facts that they are slow-growing and have a limited number of offspring is a cause for concern about the future of the species.
Photo credit: Doug Letterman
