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Ornate Box Turtle

Terrapene ornata

Reptile · family Emydidae · order Testudines

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G4: apparently secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G4 Apparently Secure[2]
Native in
15 states[3]
Longest recorded life
28.4 years[4]

The Ornate Box Turtle is a reptile in the family Emydidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe ranks it Apparently Secure worldwide[1][2].

Conservation status

The Ornate Box Turtle is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe gives it a global rank of G4 and a national rank of N4, both Apparently Secure[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Near threatened[7]. International trade is controlled under CITES Appendix II[8]. Core areas look stable or slightly increasing, while populations at the edge of the range appear to be declining[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G4 (Apparently Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Near threatened
CITES (international trade)[8] Appendix II

Where Ornate Box Turtle lives

NatureServe lists this turtle as native in 15 US states and territories: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Louisiana[10]. NatureServe state ranks differ from state to state, and the table on this page shows them[11]. GBIF has the most observation records from Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona, but those counts follow where people look and report[12].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank S1WIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: native, state rank S2ILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank S1WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S3SDIowa: native, state rank S2IAIndiana: native, state rank S1INOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: native, state rank S4CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank S4MOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S2AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4NMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S2ARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S3TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (16 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaS2Imperiled
ArkansasS2Imperiled
ColoradoS4Apparently Secure
IllinoisS2Imperiled
IndianaS1Critically Imperiled
IowaS2Imperiled
KansasS5Secure
LouisianaSHPossibly Extirpated
MissouriS4Apparently Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
New MexicoS4Apparently Secure
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
South DakotaS3Vulnerable
TexasS3Vulnerable
WisconsinS1Critically Imperiled
WyomingS1Critically Imperiled

Habitat

This turtle is found on prairie, in pastures and fields, on sandhills and in open woods, especially where the soil is sandy[13]. NatureServe also records shrubland, desert, cropland, hedgerow and riparian habitat (areas beside streams)[14]. It lives mostly on land, but it sometimes enters slow, shallow streams and creek pools[13]. Females dig nests in soft, well-drained soil in open areas[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[14]

Size, diet and lifespan

Adults are about 15 cm (6 in) long[15]. They eat insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and caterpillars, plus worms, fruits, seeds and carrion[16]. They sometimes take small animals, including young amphibians and the eggs or chicks of birds that nest on the ground[16][17]. A female may lay 1 to 2 clutches, each with 1 to 8 eggs, and warmer or cooler weather changes how long the eggs take to hatch, from 9 to 12 weeks[18]. A captive turtle holds the longest recorded lifespan in AnAge, and that is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 15 cm (6 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 28.4 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[19] 5
Gestation or incubation[20] 63 days
Female maturity[21] 2,920 days (about 8.0 years)
Food habits[17] Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore
Migration[22] non-migrant

When to look for it

The turtles are mostly active between March and November, and the northern part of the range has a shorter season[23]. These turtles are active in daylight and spend the coldest or driest time of year in a resting state[24]. Rain often gets them moving[23]. They do not migrate[22]. GBIF records peak in May, June and July, which shows when people report them and not how many turtles there are[25]. Nesting runs from May to August[18].

January: 44 recordsJanFebruary: 33 recordsFebMarch: 113 recordsMarApril: 838 recordsAprMay: 2,414 recordsMayJune: 3,220 recordsJunJuly: 1,930 recordsJulAugust: 1,469 recordsAugSeptember: 1,297 recordsSepOctober: 410 recordsOctNovember: 100 recordsNovDecember: 49 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[25].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January44
February33
March113
April838
May2,414
June3,220
July1,930
August1,469
September1,297
October410
November100
December49

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Ornate Box Turtle as present in 18 park units[26]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona[12]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Ornate Box Turtle endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G4, Apparently Secure, worldwide[2].
Where does the Ornate Box Turtle live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 15 US states and territories, including Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Louisiana[10].
What does the Ornate Box Turtle eat?
It eats many insects, worms, fruits, seeds and carrion, and sometimes small animals[16]. NatureServe records its adult food habits as invertivore, granivore and frugivore[17].
How big is an Ornate Box Turtle?
NatureServe records a typical length of 15 cm (6 in)[15].

Facts and sources

  1. Ornate Box Turtle is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Ornate Box Turtle: G4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Ornate Box Turtle as native in 15 US states and territories: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 28.4 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata) is a reptile in the family Emydidae, order Testudines. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Near threatened. NatureServe Explorer
  8. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe notes on trend for Ornate Box Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe ranks Ornate Box Turtle as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Louisiana. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Ornate Box Turtle (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Ornate Box Turtle: Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Ornate Box Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Habitat types NatureServe records for Ornate Box Turtle: Woodland - hardwood, Shrubland/chaparral, Grassland/herbaceous, Desert, Cropland/hedgerow, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 15 cm (6 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe notes on food for Ornate Box Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore, Granivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Ornate Box Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 5. AnAge
  20. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 63 days. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 2,920 days (about 8.0 years). AnAge
  22. NatureServe migration category for Ornate Box Turtle: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe notes on phenology for Ornate Box Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Hibernates/aestivates, Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. GBIF observation records of Ornate Box Turtle in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  26. NPSpecies park lists recording Ornate Box Turtle as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.