{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "box-turtle",
  "name": "Eastern Box Turtle",
  "scientificName": "Terrapene carolina",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Testudines",
    "family": "Emydidae",
    "genus": "Terrapene"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.5,
    "lengthM": 0.15,
    "topSpeedKmh": 0.5,
    "lifespanYears": 50
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Terrapene carolina"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore — insects, fruit, mushrooms, and carrion"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Eastern US woodlands, meadows, and wetlands"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "50–100 years (long-lived turtle)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "0.3–0.6 kg (0.7–1.3 lb); high-domed shell"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 0.5 km/h (0.3 mph); slow walker"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Eastern United States from Maine to Florida and west to Texas and Michigan in woodlands and meadows.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Terrapene carolina.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Terrapene%20carolina&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Terrapene carolina. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Terrapene_carolina/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/box-turtle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}