Ornate Box Turtle
Terrapene ornata
Ornate box turtles live in grasslands, prairies, open woodlands, and sandy plains of central North America. They spend much of the day walking slowly through low vegetation, feeding on insects, worms, berries, carrion, fungi, and tender plants. When threatened, the hinged lower shell can close tightly like a box, sealing the head and limbs inside. This species often burrows into loose soil to escape heat, cold, or drought.
- Type
- Shell
- Conservation status
- NT
Growth chain
- ?
- Ornate Box Turtle