Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata) - Other Names - Desert Box
Turtle - The carapace of the Ornate Box Turtle is relatively
broad and oval, usually slightly flattened at the top, and lacks
both a narrow keel lengthwise down the center and any flaring at
the rear edge. The tallest point of the shell is just in front
of the hinge on the plastron, so viewed sideways it'll be
tallest at the front of the turtle. The carapace is dark with
many yellow lines, sometimes grouped into "starbursts" radiating
downward, and the plastron is dark brown or black with a pattern
similar to the carapace. There are almost always four toes on
each hind foot. In older specimens of the ornate box turtle, the
coloration may be more of a plain brown color. - Box turtles are
"dry-land" turtles and may be found far from a water body. The
ornate box turtle is usually found in open habitats: pastures,
rairie and open woodland. This species is most active after
rain, especially in drier habitats. - How You Can Help - To help
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