Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata
- Conservation
- Federal ESA Protection Status: E; NC State Protection Status: E
North Carolina Turtles: Identification Guide With Pictures
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
On this page
This page lists 25 turtles: all from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's 2025 SWAP Appendix 3 Table 3-7 REPTILES SGCN and Priority Species List. 2 are nonnative.
Which turtles can hurt you
Official sources single out these turtles in North Carolina, in their own words:
-
Photo: Cephas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized Snapping Turtle
Bites when handled or molested (not aggressive otherwise). “Snappers are so named because they defend themselves by snapping and biting aggressively when handled or otherwise molested.” N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
All 25 turtles
From A to Z. Do not handle them.
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Bog Turtle
Glyptemys muhlenbergii
- Conservation
- Federal ESA Protection Status: T(S/A); NC State Protection Status: T
No confirmed photo of Cumberland Slider
Cumberland Slider
Trachemys scripta troostii
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina carolina
Eastern Chicken Turtle
Deirochelys reticularia reticularia
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
Eastern Mud Turtle
Kinsternon subrubrum subrubrum
Eastern Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
Eastern Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta picta
Eastern River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna concinna
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Eastern Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera spinifera
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
No confirmed photo of Green Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
- Conservation
- Federal ESA Protection Status: T; NC State Protection Status: T
Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera aspera
No confirmed photo of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Lepidochelys kempii
- Conservation
- Federal ESA Protection Status: E; NC State Protection Status: E
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 ESA Protection Status: E; NC State Protection Status: E
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 ESA Protection Status: T; NC State Protection Status: T
Mississippi Map Turtle
Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii
No confirmed photo of Northern Map Turtle
Northern Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
Northern Red-bellied Cooter
Pseudemys rubriventris
Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
- Danger to people
- “Snappers are so named because they defend themselves by snapping and biting aggressively when handled or otherwise molested.” N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
- 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
Stripe-necked Musk Turtle
Sternotherus peltifer
- Conservation
- NC State Protection Status: SC
No confirmed photo of Striped Mud Turtle
Striped Mud Turtle
Kinosternon baurii
No confirmed photo of Yellow-bellied Slider
Yellow-bellied Slider
Trachemys scripta scripta
Turtles people confuse
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 North Carolina
Records of turtles in North Carolina peak in April to July and September. They show when people record turtles, not how many there are (about month bars).
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.
How to report
NC Wildlife Helpline (NCWRC), Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.: 866-318-2401; email [email protected]. Aquatic invasive species: NCWRC Aquatic Nuisance Species Reporting Tool (https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/710337fbf02140599fd788ebfdd72744). Rattlesnake sightings: [email protected] or HerpMapper. Wildlife violations / alligator emergencies: 800-662-7137. Yellow-legged hornet: www.ncagr.gov/YLH (NCDA&CS). N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
What official sources say
Are there sea turtles in North Carolina?
Yes. SWAP lists five sea turtles (loggerhead, green, leatherback, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill), all federally listed. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
“Scientific Name: Caretta caretta”
About this list
The species list comes from 2025 SWAP Appendix 3 Table 3-7 REPTILES SGCN and Priority Species List (2025 WAP Revision Taxa Team Evaluations) (N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 2025 NC State Wildlife Action Plan (approved by USFWS January 2026)).
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 North Carolina.
Sources
- North Carolina's State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) page. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. 2025 SWAP approved by USFWS January 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
- 2025 SWAP Appendix 3 Table 3-7 REPTILES SGCN and Priority Species List (2025 WAP Revision Taxa Team Evaluations). N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. 2025 NC SWAP; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Scientific Name: Caretta caretta”
- Common Snapping Turtle (NCWRC species page). N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (4)
“Its large head and long tail make identification easy.”
“The tail, adorned above with large, saw-toothed scales, is much longer than that of any other North Carolina turtle.”
“The plastron is small and cross-shaped.”
“Snappers are so named because they defend themselves by snapping and biting aggressively when handled or otherwise molested.”
- Have a Wildlife Problem? N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“The Wildlife Helpline is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call: 866-318-2401”
- 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.