States Wildlife
Menu

Massachusetts Turtles: Identification Guide With Pictures

Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.

On this page
  1. All 15 turtles
  2. Lookalikes
  3. When they are active
  4. If you see one
  5. What official sources say
  6. About this list
  7. Sources

MassWildlife: Found in a variety of habitats, 10 species of native freshwater turtles call Massachusetts home.

This page lists 15 turtles: all from MassWildlife's Amphibians and Reptiles in Massachusetts; Freshwater Turtles of Massachusetts; Marine Turtles of Massachusetts. MassWildlife gives a total of 10; the 15 here are the turtles official sources name one by one.

All 15 turtles

From A to Z.

No confirmed photo of Blanding's Turtle

Blanding's Turtle

Emydoidea blandingii

Where in Massachusetts
Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester counties. Listed as Threatened. MassWildlife
Conservation
state threatened (MESA list, Aug 16 2024)
Bog Turtle
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons (U.S. federal work, public domain)

Bog Turtle

Gleptemys muhlenbergii

Where in Massachusetts
Berkshire County only. Listed as Endangered in Massachusetts and Threatened at the federal level. MassWildlife
Conservation
state endangered (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally threatened
No confirmed photo of Diamond-backed Terrapin

Diamond-backed Terrapin

Malaclemmys terrapin

Where in Massachusetts
Coastal areas of Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth counties. Rare reports from Essex County. Listed as Threatened. MassWildlife
Conservation
state threatened (MESA list, Aug 16 2024)
Eastern Box Turtle
Photo: Joshua Liverman · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina

Size
Small: adult shell usually 4.5 to 6 inches; up to about 7 to 8 inches (Alabama, Virginia).
How to recognize it
  • High, domed upper shell
  • Hinged lower shell that closes the turtle in completely
  • Ridge (keel) down the center of the shell, more obvious in young
Where in Massachusetts
Statewide except Berkshire County. Listed as a Species of Special Concern. MassWildlife
Conservation
state special concern (MESA list, Aug 16 2024)

Full Eastern Box Turtle guide

Eastern Musk Turtle
Photo: Curtis Meyers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · iNaturalist · resized

Eastern Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

Where in Massachusetts
Statewide except Berkshire, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. MassWildlife
30 records by month.
No confirmed photo of Green Sea Turtle

Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

Where in Massachusetts
Uncommon. Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Listed as Threatened both in Massachusetts and federally (North Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment). MassWildlife
Conservation
state threatened (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally threatened
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Photo: cello caruso-turiello · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

Where in Massachusetts
Uncommon. Barnstable County. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally. MassWildlife
Conservation
state endangered (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally endangered
No confirmed photo of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Lepidochelys kempii

Where in Massachusetts
Uncommon. Essex, Suffolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally. MassWildlife
Conservation
state endangered (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally endangered
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Photo: Rabon David, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Size
Adults 5 to 6 feet long, 750 to 1,000 pounds (NOAA). Texas Parks and Wildlife cites weights up to 1,300 lb and shells up to 8 feet.
How to recognize it
  • The only sea turtle that lacks scales and a hard shell.
  • Front flippers proportionally longer than in other sea turtles; rear flippers paddle-shaped.
  • Usually a pink spot on top of the head that can identify individuals.
Where in Massachusetts
Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and federally. MassWildlife
Conservation
state endangered (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally endangered

Full Leatherback Sea Turtle guide

Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Photo: Kristiina Hurme · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Caretta caretta

Size
Adults 2.5 to 3.5 feet long and 200 to 350 pounds (NOAA). NCWRC gives 31 to 45 inches shell length and 170 to 350 pounds; SCDNR says adults can weigh as much as 300 pounds and reach up to four feet in shell length.
How to recognize it
  • Very large head with powerful jaws.
  • Slightly heart-shaped top shell.
  • Two pairs of scales (prefrontal scutes) between the eyes above the nostrils; two claws on each flipper.
Where in Massachusetts
Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties … MassWildlife
Conservation
state threatened (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally threatened

Full Loggerhead Sea Turtle guide

Northern Red-bellied Cooter
Photo: Joshua Liverman · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Northern Red-bellied Cooter

Pseudemys rubriventris

Where in Massachusetts
Plymouth and Bristol counties. Listed as Endangered both in Massachusetts and at the federal level. MassWildlife
Conservation
state endangered (MESA list, Aug 16 2024); federally endangered
Painted Turtle
Photo: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Size
Small: adult shell usually 4 to 7 inches, up to about 10 inches; females are larger than males.
How to recognize it
  • Smooth, fairly flat shell with no keel and a smooth (not saw-toothed) rear edge
  • Red markings on the marginal shell plates
  • Yellow spot behind each eye and yellow stripes on the chin
Where in Massachusetts
Statewide MassWildlife
1,404 records by month.

Full Painted Turtle guide

Snapping Turtle
Photo: Cephas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Size
Upper shell usually 8 to 14 inches, occasionally to nearly 20; usually 10 to 35 lb, occasionally to 75 lb in the wild.
How to recognize it
  • Large head, long tail
  • Saw-toothed scales on the long tail
  • Small, cross-shaped lower shell
Where in Massachusetts
Statewide. MassWildlife
371 records by month.

Full Snapping Turtle guide

Spotted Turtle
Photo: Nick Block · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Spotted Turtle

Clemmys guttata

Where in Massachusetts
Statewide except northern Berkshire County. MassWildlife
34 records by month.
No confirmed photo of Wood Turtle

Wood Turtle

Gleptemys insculpta

Where in Massachusetts
Statewide north and west of northern Bristol and Plymouth counties. Not native to Barnstable Country. Listed as a Species of Special Concern. MassWildlife
Conservation
state special concern (MESA list, Aug 16 2024)

Turtles people confuse

Loggerhead sea turtle or Leatherback sea turtle?

Loggerhead sea turtle
Photo: Kristiina Hurme · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Loggerhead sea turtle Not stated

Leatherback sea turtle
Photo: Rabon David, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Leatherback sea turtle Not stated

Adult leatherbacks differ from all other sea turtles, including the loggerhead, in their large size, spindle-shaped body and leathery shell without scales.

Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.

When turtles are active in Massachusetts

Records of turtles in Massachusetts peak in April to June. They show when people record turtles, not how many there are (about month bars).

1,995 records of turtles in Massachusetts by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
  • Cold-stunned sea turtle strandings on Cape Cod: end of October to January. MassWildlife

If you see one

Official advice from MassWildlife:

  • Stranded sea turtle on a beach: do not assume it is dead and do not put it back in the water; call the Wellfleet Bay hotline 508-349-2615. MassWildlife

What official sources say

Are there sea turtles in Massachusetts?

Yes. Hundreds of sea turtles summer in Cape Cod waters; all marine turtles are state listed as threatened or endangered. MassWildlife

“Hundreds of sea turtles summer in Cape Cod waters annually.”

About this list

The species list comes from Amphibians and Reptiles in Massachusetts; Freshwater Turtles of Massachusetts; Marine Turtles of Massachusetts (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), herp list Update September 2020; turtle pages Internet Archive captures 2025-09-01 and 2026-10-24).

Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.

Sources

  1. Frequently asked questions about rattlesnakes in MA. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). archived copy, captured June 18, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
  2. Amphibians and Reptiles in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). archived copy, captured January 17, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
  3. Freshwater Turtles of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). archived copy, captured October 24, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Found in a variety of habitats, 10 species of native freshwater turtles call Massachusetts home.”
  4. Marine Turtles of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). archived copy, captured September 1, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (3)
    “If you find a sea turtle on a shoreline, do not assume it is dead and do not put it back into the water.”
    “Cold-stunned strandings can start as early as the end of October until January of the next year.”
    “Hundreds of sea turtles summer in Cape Cod waters annually.”
  5. GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.