Learn something new every day More Info... by email The wood
turtle, species name Glyptemys insculpta, is a medium sized
reptile that lives only in North America, where it is most
common to the northeastern United States and southeastern
Canada. These omnivores can be found in a wide range of living
environments where they have many predators including humans. As
a result, these harmless turtles are in a rapid state of decline
throughout their range. Similar to other turtles, they are often
kept as pets, a practice which is actively discouraged. While
the wood turtle can be found wandering through fields and woody
areas, it is seldom far from shallow running water. It prefers
to live and feed both in and out of the water and can often be
observed basking in the sun on a nearby rock. These types of
turtles are diurnal, i.e., they are most active in the daytime.
Wood turtles are easily identified by the pyramid like design on
their rough brown shells and by their forelegs which are red on
the underside. Their h