No confirmed photo of Blanding's Turtle
Blanding's Turtle
Emydoidea blandingii
- Conservation
- New York Threatened
New York Turtles: Identification Guide With Pictures
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
On this page
NYSDEC: 19 species of turtles (including 4 sea turtles)
This page lists 19 turtles: 17 from NYSDEC Division of Fish and Wildlife's Checklist of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of New York State, Including Their Legal Status and 2 named in other official sources. 3 are nonnative.
Which turtles can hurt you
Official sources single out these turtles in New York, in their own words:
-
Photo: Cephas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized Snapping Turtle
DEC says to use extreme caution when approaching them. “Use extreme caution when approaching snapping turtles.” NYSDEC
All 19 turtles
From A to Z. Do not handle them.
.jpg){kind=link}
Bog Turtle
Glyptemys muhlenbergii
- Conservation
- Federal Threatened; New York Endangered
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
- Conservation
- New York Special Concern
Eastern Mud Turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum
- Conservation
- New York Endangered
Eastern Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
Eastern Redbelly Turtle
Pseudemys rubriventris
,_Oberseite.jpg){kind=link}
Eastern Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
- Conservation
- New York Special Concern
No confirmed photo of Green Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
- Conservation
- Federal Threatened; New York Threatened
No confirmed photo of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Lepidochelys kempii
- Conservation
- Federal Endangered; New York Endangered
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.
- Conservation
- Federal Endangered; New York Endangered
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.
- Conservation
- Federal Threatened; New York Threatened
Northern Diamond-backed Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin
No confirmed photo of Northern Map Turtle
Northern Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica
.jpg){kind=link}
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
No confirmed photo of Red-eared Slider
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
- Danger to people
- “Use extreme caution when approaching snapping turtles.” NYSDEC
- 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
Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
- Conservation
- New York Special Concern
Wood Turtle
Glyptemys insculpta
- Size
- 14-20 cm (5.5-8 in)
- How to recognize it
- Lower shell has no hinge
- Combination of brown shell, orange front limbs and a lower shell solidly fused to the upper shell
- Males: concave lower shell, long thick tail, broader head
- Conservation
- New York Special Concern
No confirmed photo of Yellowbelly Slider
Yellowbelly Slider
Trachemys scripta scripta
Turtles people confuse
Wood Turtle or Eastern Box Turtle?
Wood Turtle Not stated
Eastern Box Turtle Not stated
Box turtles are smaller and have a hinged lower shell that closes completely.
Eastern box turtle or Wood turtle?
Eastern box turtle Not stated
Wood turtle Not stated
The wood turtle lacks the high-domed shell and the hinged lower shell.
Loggerhead sea turtle or Leatherback sea turtle?
Loggerhead sea turtle Not stated
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 New York
Records of turtles in New York peak in April to June. They show when people record turtles, not how many there are (about month bars).
- Native turtles move to nesting areas in May and June. NYSDEC
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
Official advice from NYSDEC:
About this list
The species list comes from Checklist of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of New York State, Including Their Legal Status (NYSDEC Division of Fish and Wildlife, February 2019 (tenth revision)). 2 more entries come from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
"Nonnative" and "Invasive" follow the wording of the source list. See invasive species in New York.
Sources
- Amphibians and Reptiles. NYSDEC. archived copy, captured May 22, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (3)
“Use extreme caution when approaching snapping turtles.”
“All turtles native to New York are protected by law and cannot be collected without a permit.”
“Our native turtles are on the move in May and June seeking sandy areas or loose soil to lay their eggs.”
- Checklist of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of New York State, Including Their Legal Status (Tenth revision, February 2019). NYSDEC Division of Fish and Wildlife. February 2019; checked November 3, 2026.
- Conservationist for Kids: amphibians and reptiles. NYSDEC. file 0220c4kherps.pdf; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“19 species of turtles (including 4 sea turtles)”
- NYSDEC Herp Atlas Project: Turtles Distribution Map. NYSDEC. atlas survey 1990-1999; checked November 3, 2026.
- 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.