Turtles
(order Testudines) represent the oldest of all living reptiles; they have
undergone little change since their beginning early in the Triassic period.
Their shell consists of an upper section, the carpace, and a lower section,
the plastron. Turtles are found throughout North Carolina, from the
coastal to the mountain region. Overall, twenty species of turtles,
belonging to six different families inhabit North Carolina. Five of
these species are sea turtles and one (the Eastern Box Turtle) is primarily
terrestrial. The rest aquatic, inhabiting North Carolina's ponds, wetlands,
and waterways. The greatest threat to turtles is habitat loss, particularly
destruction and pollution of wetlands. In addition thousands of turtles are
crushed every year by cars on North Carolina's roads and highways.