Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
Photo Credits: Chris Hagan
The loggerhead is found in the ocean. Loggerheads are omnivorous and feed primarily on marine invertebrates. Loggerheads range between 31-45 inches in shell length and 170-350 pounds in weight. This species is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is protected by law.
Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea
Classification: Nongame species
Photo Credit: James Casey
Scientific Name: Lepidochelys kempii
Most Atlantic ridleys found in North Carolina are in shallow water and high-salinity sounds. They are carnivorous, feeding primarily on marine invertebrates. It is considered the most endangered sea turtle in the world. The Atlantic Ridley is the smallest turtle in the Atlantic Ocean
Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.
Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
Photo Credit: Estero Banderitas
Green turtles are found in the open ocean. They are strong swimmers and are known to migrate large distances. Adults mainly eat ocean plant life and jellyfish. Most Atlantic green turtles nest in the tropics. This species is considered threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and is protected under U.S. law.
Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.
Scientific Name: Eretmochelys imbricata
In North Carolina, this species has only been found in the open ocean. They consume both marine plants and animals, especially invertebrates. Most Atlantic hawksbills nest in the Caribbean. It is listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is protected by law.
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Scientific Name: Sternotherus minor
Photo Credits: JD Wilson
The stripe-necked musk turtle’s most distinguishing feature is the numerous dark stripes lining the head and neck. Found in streams or rivers in the North Carolina mountains, this turtle prefers to eat small snails and aquatic insects. The stripe-necked musk turtle prefers to forage in the morning. It is listed as a Species of Special Concern by the state of North Carolina.
Scientific Name: Kinosternon baurii
Photo Credits: JD Wilson
Striped mud turtles are semi-aquatic, spending most of their time buried beneath soil. They eat aquatic invertebrates, growing to 3-4 inches in adulthood. It has three light stripes down the length of its shell. This turtle lives in swamps, drainage canals, ponds, wetlands, streams, and temporary pools in North Carolina.
Scientific Name: Kinosternon subrubrum
Photo Credit: JD Willson
Eastern mud turtles prefer shallow and sluggish bodies of water. They are not strong swimmers and usually crawl along the bottom. Eastern mud turtles are omnivorous, eating crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, and seeds. Adults range from 3 to 5 inches in length of shell.
Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.
Scientific Name: Chelydra serpentina
Classification: Nongame species
Photo Credit: Todd Pierson
Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta
Photo Credit: JD Wilson
This species is mostly aquatic and usually found near water. Musk turtles have two light stripes on their heads. They are omnivorous and feed on small aquatic and semi-aquatic animals, aquatic plants, and carrion. In the winter, they bury themselves in the mud. When threatened, they secrete a stinky musk from their anal glands.