Eastern Chicken Turtle
Scientific Name: Deirochelys reticularia
Photo Credit: JD Willson
Mostly found in the Sandhills of North Carolina, chicken turtles live in canals, marshes, cypress, ponds, and other bodies of still or sluggish water. Chicken turtles are characterized by the netlike patterns on the top of their shells. They have been observed eating tadpoles and crayfish. In North Carolina, they have been observed living in sewage treatment ponds.
Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.