Reptiles

Wood Turtle

(Glyptemys insculpta)

Species Description

**Description:** Shell resembles carved wood with distinct pyramids on each scute. Features bright orange or yellow skin on the neck and legs.

**Size:** Shell length of 5–8 inches.

**Sexual Dimorphism:** Males have a concave bottom shell (plastron) and thicker tails than females.

**Habitat:** Found in moist woodlands and clear-water streams.

**Behavior:** Known as the "Einstein of Turtles" for their intelligence; they thump the ground to lure earthworms.

💡 Fun Facts

The Wood Turtle is one of the most intelligent turtles in the world and is capable of learning complex tasks.
They spend their winters underwater, buried in the mud of stream banks where they absorb oxygen through their skin.
Wood Turtles are the only turtles known to hunt by "stomping" their feet and plastron on the ground to mimic the sound of rain, tricking earthworms into surfacing.
They are highly terrestrial compared to other turtles, often spending more time in the woods and meadows than in the water during the summer.
Because they are so intelligent and friendly, they were once popular in the pet trade, leading to their current status as a Species of Concern due to over-collection.