Wild Acres: Turtles in Maryland

Because turtles are often found in suburban wooded lots and creeks, many children get their first intimate wildlife experience with turtles. Their slow lifestyle and their good-natured willingness to allow us to share their lives have made turtles perhaps the most universally popular reptile.

Turtle Types
In Maryland, nineteen species of turtles find homes in small ponds, non-tidal and tidal wetlands, woodlands, streams, rivers and bogs. Actually there are three groups of turtles in Maryland:

Bog Turtle
The bog turtle finds its home in wetlands and freshwater marshes in northern Maryland counties. They are threatened in Maryland, small in size, and very hard to find.

Diamond-back Terrapin
The diamond-back terrapin is Maryland's state reptile and is found in salty and brackish water of the Chesapeake Bay.

Snapping Turtles
Snapping turtles will live in either fresh or brackish (fresh and salt water mixed) bodies of water and will eat almost anything. If a backyard pond is large enough they will inhabit it. Snapping turtles can be very large, measuring two to three feet in diameter. To eat, they hide until a bird, fish or small animal goes by. Powerful jaws make snapping turtles efficient predators. They are bad tempered and can deliver a serious bite. Their long necks can reach most parts of their bodies so don’t pick one up.

Wood Turtles and Spotted Turtles
The wood turtle is brown with an orange neck and front legs. The wood turtle winters underwater but spends the rest of the year in woodlands, meadows, and plowed fields. Spotted Turtles are black with yellow spots and bask on grassy tussocks and partially submerged logs. Both turtles feed on mollusks, small animals and aquatic plants.

Box Turtles
Box turtles are one of the most common turtles found in suburban areas. They are the only type which can fully withdraw into their shells. They live in open woodlands near ponds and streams. They may sometimes visit a cool mud puddle or pond to cool off in the hot summer. Box turtles are dark brown with black, orange or yellow markings.

Painted Turtles
Painted Turtles are most often seen basking on logs alone or in groups and sometimes piled on top of one another. They prefer shallow, freshwater ponds with muddy bottoms and lush aquatic vegetation. Painted turtles eat aquatic vegetation along with insects, crayfish and mollusks. Backyards with ponds will most likely be visited by these turtles.

Musk, Mud and Map Turtles
Musk turtles have two yellow stripes along the sides of their head and are found in lakes, streams and ditches. Mud turtles have a dull brown shell and a plain head. They can be found at the muddy bottoms of streams and ponds or in brackish water. Map turtles have numerous longitudinal stripes on their neck and are found along back water, sloughs of rivers and lakes to ponds.

Sea Turtles

Green Turtle
Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle
Leatherback Turtle
Atlantic Ridley Turtle
Hawksbill Turtle

Turtles As Pets
Many reptiles are sold as pets, which in combination with destruction of habitat, has caused a serious decline in many species around the world. In Maryland, it is illegal to sell turtles as pets if they are caught from the wild. You can help save reptile populations by being very knowledgeable about any reptile you purchase and only purchase from reputable dealers.

For Additional Information, Contact:

Wild Acres Program
Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service
Attn: Marilyn Mause
Gwynnbrook WMA
3740 Gwynnbrook Ave
Owings Mills MD 21117
410-356-0941
E-Mail: customerservice@dnr.state.md.us