Tortoise Identification

[Budgielover]

Hi everyone,

My friend found this tortoise in a park near Atlanta, GA and she was wondering what kind it is.

Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's an eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). If they are native to your area, there are laws governing collecting them. If your friend found the turtle in a country setting, it would be a good idea to put it back.

 

[thea lester]

Yeah, definitely an Eastern, and it needs to go back to the park.

 

[Keeblercop]

It's a very pretty Eastern Box Turtle...def. not a tortoise and def. native to GA. I'm almost positive that they are protected in your state. You could check your laws in GA, but I think it's either illegal to take them from the wild or you would at min. need to purchase a permit...you could check your state's DNR website. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Hopefully, your friend will make the right decision and take him right back to the area he was taken from...They tend to keep the same range their whole lives. He deserves to reproduce and carry on with the way of life he's been living for possibly the past several decades.