# Are Eastern Box Turtles Endangered?

> Are eastern box turtles endangered? Status Vulnerable, main threats, and what protection means.

- **Species:** Eastern Box Turtle (*Terrapene carolina*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Omnivore — insects, fruit, mushrooms, and carrion
- **Habitat:** Eastern US woodlands, meadows, and wetlands
- **Lifespan:** 50–100 years (long-lived turtle)
- **Top speed:** Up to 0.5 km/h (0.3 mph); slow walker
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/are-box-turtle-endangered/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) is a small, land-dwelling turtle of the eastern United States, known for the hinged shell it can close like a box for protection. It lives in woodlands, meadows, and wetlands, eating insects, fruit, mushrooms, and carrion. Barely 15 cm long and weighing around half a kilogram, it is a famously slow, long-lived reptile that can survive 50 to 100 years. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Eastern Box Turtle profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/) instead.

## The hinged shell

The box turtle takes its name from the hinge across its lower shell, or plastron, which lets it fold the front and back sections tightly shut. Pulled into its high-domed shell, the turtle can seal itself completely inside, leaving no soft parts exposed to a predator. This living armour is its main defence, since it is far too slow to flee from danger. The shell also bears colourful yellow or orange markings that vary from turtle to turtle.

## Help protect the Eastern Box Turtle

The eastern box turtle is listed as Vulnerable, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/are-box-turtle-endangered/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.