Turtles in New Jersey – 18 Species That are Found Here

New Jersey is home to 18 turtle species. Most of these species are aquatic and are found in the state’s freshwater and brackish waters. They include common snapping turtles, diamondback terrapins, painted turtles,

On top of this, up to 5 sea turtle species inhabit New Jersey’s coastal waters. They include the leatherback, loggerhead, hawksbill, and Kemp Ridley sea turtles.

That being said, the state laws concerning turtle possession are relaxed and you can keep most of the native species as pets. However, keeping wild-caught turtle species in New Jersey is prohibited, except for the common snapping turtle.

Below is the complete list of all the turtle species found in New Jersey. For each turtle, we look at key details that define set it apart from other species such as physical appearance, size, lifespan, diet, habitat, conservation status, and more.

18 Types Of Turtles in New Jersey

1. Common Snapping Turtle

• Scientific name: Chelydra serpentina
• Common name: Snapping Turtle
• Family: Chelydridae
• Size: 8 to 18 1/2 inches
• Lifespan: 30 to 50 years or more
• Conservation status: Least Concern

Common snapping turtles are widespread throughout New Jersey. An average adult is pretty large and has a shell length of 18½ inches long.

This species has a chunky head, a long tail, and large webbed feet. The shell color is black or olive and has no distinct pattern.

These New Jersey snapping turtles are known for their powerful jaws—they’re so strong that these turtles eat other turtles!

You’ll find them in waterbodies with muddy bottoms. Examples include marshes, ponds, lakes, rivers, and even shallow streams. They generally prefer waters with aquatic vegetation in plenty and foods such as fish, frogs, birds, etc.

These New Jersey turtles generally show docile behavior but can get quite aggressive if taken out of water. The best way to calm it is to take it back to the waters, where it feels safe.

2. Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle

• Scientific name: Apalone spinifera
• Common name: Spiny Softshell Turtle
• Family: Trionychidae
• Size: 5 to 9 inches (males), 12 to 20 inches (females)
• Lifespan: 30 to 70 years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The Eastern Spiny softshell turtle is a medium-to-large freshwater species that live in New Jersey’s lakes, streams, and rivers with muddy or sandy bottoms and little or no vegetation.

Female spiny softshell turtles are usually larger than males. And unlike other turtles, this species has a flexible, leather-like carapace that’s extremely rounded and flattened. The shell color can be olive grey or yellow-brown. Just like other softshell turtles, this species also has a snorkel-like snout.

The young ones feature well-defined round spots that are easily visible on the shell (though these spots become invisible as they transition to adulthood).

Spiny softshell turtles in New Jersey tend to eat anything they find in the waters including crayfish, insects, small fish, and so on. They hunt by burying themselves in the mud or sand while keeping their head uncovered to grab food as it swims by.

These turtles are also able to breathe underwater by taking in oxygen through their throat skin. This is a useful adaptation given that they don’t spend a lot of time out of water.

Other adaptations of these turtles include webbed feed, long claws, and extremely flat shells that enable them to quickly swim away from predators and burry in the muddy bottom of the waters they reside in.

3. Northern Map Turtle

• Scientific name: Graptemys Geographica
• Common name: Common map Turtle, Northern Map Turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 3.5 to 6.5 inches (males), 7 to 10.5 inches (males)
• Lifespan: 20+ years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The Northern map turtle also goes by the name common map turtle and was labeled as the second most common Graptemys in 2009. The species is commonly found in ponds, lakes, streams rivers, and drainage systems.

Northern map turtles found in New Jersey will simply inhabit any waterbody that provides abundant aquatic vegetation, with deep waters with a stony or rocky bottom.

The turtle gets its “map” name due to the map-like markings covering its olive or grayish-brown upper shell.

On top of this, the shells have orange or yellow lines with dark borders. The carapace is broad and has a low keel. The plastron of an adult common map turtle is yellowish in color.

Most of these turtle species also feature an oval spot behind the eyes.

Northern map turtles in New Jersey can be observed basking on the fallen trees around the waters of New Jersey while feeding on snails, crayfish, clams, crustaceans, and other aquatic insects.

Since females are larger than males, they tend to feast on bigger prey than males.

4. Eastern Mud Turtle

• Scientific name: Kinosternon subrubrum
• Common name: Eastern Mud Turtle, Mud Turtle
• Family: Kinosternidae
• Size: 3 to 5 inches
• Lifespan: 50 years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The Eastern Mud turtle in New Jersey is found in shallow waters including ditches, marshes, wet meadows, and swamps.

This smaller aquatic turtle species is characterized by a smooth and unmarked shell. Yes, it has an incredible plain look, with its upper shell lacking any patterns. The carapace color ranges from dark yellow to black.

The lower side of the shell is also pretty plain, though it usually appears lighter on the upper part. The key distinction of this mud turtle is the stripes on its head which can be white or yellow in color.

One particular feature that sets this turtle apart from others and makes it easily identifiable is the hinges on its lower shell which form a “K” shape when viewed from the sides.

Just as its name suggests, this turtle lives in water bodies with a soft muddy, or sandy bottom. Thus, they can be found in marshes, swamps, and rivers in New Jersey.

Since the New Jersey eastern mud turtle is omnivorous, it eats meat, fish, snails, insects, and aquatic vegetation as well as plant matter on land.

Unlike other turtles, eastern mud turtles do not hibernate in the cold winter months. Instead, it does the opposite—it becomes dormant in the hot months of summer (this is known as aestivation).

5. Eastern Musk Turtle

• Scientific name: Sternotherus odoratus
• Common name: Eastern Musk Turtle, Common Musk Turtle, Musk Turtle, Stinkpot
• Family: Kinosternidae
• Size: 2 to 4.5 inches
• Lifespan: 30 to 50 years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The Eastern Musk Turtle is another aquatic turtle found in New Jersey’s slow-moving and sluggish streams as well as still water bodies.

The turtle usually prefers areas with dark crevices, where it can easily hide. It also prefers lots of plant matter to burrow in and hide.

An average adult eastern musk turtle is quite small (2 to 4.5 inches long). It has a pretty plain appearance with highly consistent colors. Both the shell and skin usually share the same color and can range from dark brown to black.

The turtle shell has one unique feature—a ridge traversing its entire shell length. Besides, it has another distinctive feature: two light-colored stripes on its head.

Eastern musk turtles of New Jersey are herbivorous and will eat small aquatic or semi-aquatic animals, carrion, and aquatic vegetation. They will also feed on any other vegetation on land.

When it feels threatened, this turtle species emits a foul odor (a musky odor, hence its name). This scent can be detected in water or on land. It can also easily waft through the air to its predators.

Also, these New Jersey eastern musk turtles are good at climbing trees! This great capability enables them to go high up tree branches to find a safe resting place and avoid predators.

6. Northern Red-bellied Cooter

• Scientific name: Pseudemys rubriventris
• Common name: Northern Red-Bellied Turtle,American red-bellied turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 10 to 12 inches
• Lifespan: 40 to 60 years
• Conservation status: Not Threatened

As you can tell from its name, this species features a completely red (vibrant) plastron, sometimes covered with green spots. The turtle is known to live in freshwater streams, ponds, and lakes in New Jersey.

And when the conditions allow, the turtle will venture into brackish streams near the New Jersey coast.

A redbelly Cooter differs from other turtles with its head pattern which has lighter markings forming a distinct arrow shape, pointing toward the snout. The upper shell ranges form from dark brown to black.

Since the Northern redbelly turtles of New Jersey are mainly herbivorous, they mostly feed on aquatic plants.

Note that this turtle species in New Jersey face many threats including wetland loss, habitat loss, pollution, and collection for selling as pets.

At some point, this turtle was even sold for consumption (some countries still consume it even today!)

7. Northern Diamondback Terrapin

• Scientific name: Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
• Common name: Diamond-backed Terrapin, Mississippi Diamondback Terrapin
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 4 to 6 inches (males), 5 to 8 inches (females)
• Lifespan: 25 to 40 years
• Conservation status: Vulnerable

The Diamondback terrapin is the only freshwater species in New Jersey that can adapt to saltwater habitats as well. Their shells have a raised diamond shape, hence the name diamondback. The term “terrapin” simply means little turtle.

A typical diamondback terrapin in New Jersey has a black or brown carapace and yellow lower shell that may sometimes feature dark-colored patterns. The turtle’s skin is usually grey-white with multiple small black spots.

Female diamondback terrapins are usually bigger than their male counterparts.

These turtles are highly timid and can easily get stressed when in captivity. They’re pretty docile and can be handled. However, they’re known to bite as a way of defending themselves if they feel threatened.

Diamondback terrapins in New Jersey can be found along the coast in tidal flats, salt marshes, barrier beaches, and brackish streams in New Jersey. They can also stay in full-strength saltwater for longer periods.

These terrapins are largely carnivorous and feed on crustaceans, fish, crabs, shrimps, marine snails, marine worms, mollusks, mussels, clams, and barnacles. However, they also tend to occasionally ingest small amounts of plant matter.

8. Red-eared Slider

• Scientific name: Trachemys scripta
• Common name: Red-eared Slider, Red-eared Terrapin
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 7 to 11 inches
• Lifespan: 30 to 40 years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The red-eared slider is a sub-species of pond sliders and a native species of New Jersey. It is a semi-aquatic turtle and prefers living in marshes, ponds, lakes, and creeks.

A red-eared slider gets its name from the small red stripe surrounding its ears (or behind the eye), and its ability to quickly slide off logs and rocks into the water.

Generally, the skin and shell coloration of this slider can be brown or black, with yellow stripes covering the skin.

The red-eared sliders of New Jersey are pretty large and the adults reach 7-12 in length (though females are generally larger than males).

These New Jersey pond sliders are omnivorous and like eating fish, snails, insects, and aquatic vegetation. They also eat land vegetation, including fruits and vegetables.

9. Eastern Painted Turtle

• Scientific name: Chrysemys picta picta
• Common name: Painted Turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 4 to 10 inches
• Lifespan: 30 to 50 years
• Conservation status: Least Concern

The Eastern painted turtle is the only subspecies of painted turtle found in New Jersey. It is medium-sized and easily recognizable by its beautiful and unique coloring.

Because they’re quite common in the wild, you can own the eastern painted turtles as pets in New Jersey without a permit.

The turtle shell is brown or dark brown while the plastron ranges from tan to yellow. The face and throat have yellow stripe markings. Scutes of this painted turtle line up in parallel rows and feature pale front edges.

These painted turtles in New Jersey have been observed to live near water bodies with minimal movements. Examples include marshes, ponds, slow-moving streams with sandy/muddy bottoms, small lakes, etc.

They also prefer areas with aquatic plants in New Jersey as they make their primary food source in the wild. They’re diurnal omnivores and like feeding on small fish, carrion, and plant matter.

Also read: Turtles in Hawaii

10. Bog Turtle

• Scientific name: Glyptemys muhlenbergii
• Common name: Bog Turtle, Muhlenberg’s turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 3.5 to 5 inches
• Lifespan: up to 40 years
• Conservation status: Critically Endangered

The Bog turtle is the smallest aquatic turtle you’ll find in New Jersey and North America in general.

The species is critically endangered and is one of the rarest turtles in the state; it is only seen in the western counties of New Jersey.

Mind you; selling or owning a bog turtle in New Jersey is illegal!

An adult bog turtle’s carapace coloration ranges from black to olive or dark brown and features a central keel ridge. Some of the scutes making up their upper shell may also bear red or yellow-star markings. And their heads have distinctive orange or yellow patches.

The bog turtle is known to inhabit wetland areas such as marshes or bogs populated with grass cover.

These turtle species are diurnal omnivores and like eating insects, mollusks, and occasional vegetation. They’re most active during warm parts of the day.

11. Spotted Turtle

• Scientific name: Clemmys guttata
• Common name: Spotted Turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 4 to 5 inches
• Lifespan: 25 to 50 years
• Conservation status: Endangered

Spotted turtles in New Jersey reside in shallow marshes, swamps, and bogs. They’re semi-aquatic and are comfortable on the land just as they are in the waters.

An adult spotted turtle has a smooth upper shell that ranges from olive to dark brown in color, with some light yellow spots. The neck and head feature irregular orange or yellow spots and streaks. Also, their tails are fairly long.

The turtles are omnivorous and their diet involves crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and plant matter (occasionally). Note that these turtles are aggressive hunters and will actively seek their prey.

Unfortunately, the population of spotted turtles in New Jersey is on the decline due to human interference and habitat loss. Their unique shell patterns make them a favorite species of a pet turtle for many people.

For this reason, they’re listed as endangered and protected by many governing bodies. In New Jersey state, you can only own ONE spotted turtle and not more than that!

Above all, the spotted turtles of New Jersey are incredibly smart. Studies carried on them using a maze indicate they have the same brain capacity as the mouse!

12. Wood Turtle

• Scientific name: Glyptemys insculpta
• Common name: Wood turtle, Sculptured Tortoise, Redleg, Red-legged Tortoise
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 5.5 to 8 inches
• Lifespan: 40 to 60 years
• Conservation status: Endangered

Wood turtle species also inhabit the various woodland habitats across New Jersey state. However, they also tend to stay near the water and will frequently venture into it.

During winter, they tend to hibernate at the bottom of deep rivers and pools.

The turtles get their name from their sculpted-like looks. Their upper shells are dark brown and have sport patterns resembling wood grain and growth rings.

Their scutes may sometimes appear like they’re pyramiding, further enhancing their sculpted shape.

Wood turtles of New Jersey are diurnal omnivores and their diet mainly consists of berries, plants, insects, and mollusks.

They forage for their food widely and have even been observed stomping their feet on the ground as a way of tricking the earthworms into surfacing.

13. Eastern Box Turtle

• Scientific name: Terrapene carolina
• Common name: Eastern Box Turtle, Land turtle, Box Turtle
• Family: Emydidae
• Size: 4.5 and 7 inches
• Lifespan: 50 to 100 years
• Conservation status: Vulnerable

The eastern box turtles are found in dense thickets and woodland areas in New Jersey. They prefer these areas due to abundant access to sunlight and food sources nearby.

An adult turtle of this species is about 4.5 to 7 inches and weighs just 2lbs. It has a high, domed shell shape with a ridge running from head to toe. The shell of this turtle has varying colors of olive, brown, and tan.

The variation in markings on the shells of these turtles is so variable that you can’t easily recognize one by looking at the shell alone.

These eastern box turtles of New Jersey are omnivorous and feed on a variety of foods including insects, meat, fruits, vegetables, and various types of vegetation.

Note that eastern box turtles are taken from the New Jersey wild for the pet trade, leading to a decline in their population. For this reason, many states have illegalized capturing and selling of this species.

And those in captivity end up dying due to poor conditions or being abandoned or released back into the wild because they’re too demanding to maintain.

14. Green Sea Turtle

• Scientific name: Chelonia mydas
• Common name: Green turtle, Pacific green turtle, Black sea turtle
• Family: Cheloniidae
• Size: 2 to 5 feet
• Lifespan: 60 to 70 years
• Conservation status: Endangered

The green sea turtle species is classified among the largest hard-shelled sea turtles in New Jersey. It can reach up to 4 feet in length and weighs up to 400lbs.

This species is characterized by scutes that run down the middle; they’re 4 on each side. The shell color can be gray, dark brown, or olive with a yellow-to-white bottom shell or plastron.

It also features a serrated beak on its lower jaw and two large scales resign between the eyes.

Males are generally larger than females and have longer tails. The females lay their eggs on the beach and use their paddle-shaped flippers to easily burrow in the sand when laying eggs. A single green turtle can lay up to 200 eggs!

This New Jersey sea turtle species gets its name from its primary diet which consists of age and seagrasses (mind you, this diet is responsible for tinting its cartilage green).

Green turtles in New Jersey are usually found in tropical as well as subtropical waters throughout the years. They also tend to migrate to cooler temperatures and even boreal waters when the weather gets warmer.

15. Hawksbill Sea Turtle

• Scientific name: Eretmochelys imbricata
• Common name: hawksbill turtle
• Family: Cheloniidae
• Size: 2.5 to 3 feet
• Lifespan: 50 to 60 years
• Conservation status: Critically endangered

Hawksbill sea turtles have also been found in New Jersey’s shallow coastal areas of tropical or rocky waters, estuaries, and reefs.

The adult has an average size of 3 feet and weighs around 180 pounds. The shell of this turtle features an amber upper shell with irregular light and dark streaks. They also feature predominant black and molten-brown easily radiating to the sides.

The shell tends to change color depending on the water temperatures.

This colored and patterned shell makes this turtle highly valuable and is commonly sold as “tortoiseshell” in the markets.

The hawkbill turtle is so named due to its narrow, pointed beak. It also has a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on its shells which form a serrated look on the edges.

These turtles mainly feed on the sponge which they easily extract from reef crevices with the help of their narrow, pointed beaks. They also feed on jellyfish.

Hawksbill turtles are generally found in tropical oceans throughout the world. While they live in the open ocean, they tend to spend more time in coral reefs and shallow lagoons in New Jersey.

During nesting, a female hawkbill turtle will look for small coves, “pocket” beaches, or inlets surrounded by rocks. They tend to travel high up the beach to lay eggs in shelters formed by the plants.

16. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

• Scientific name: Lepidochelys kempi
• Common name: Atlantic ridley sea turtle,
• Family: Cheloniidae
• Size: 2+ feet
• Lifespan: 30+ years
• Conservation status: Critically endangered

Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the smallest species of all sea turtles in New Jersey. The average adult size is about 2 feet and weighs approx. 110 lbs. They have adapted flippers (front limbs) and a beak.

This turtle is the rarest sea turtle species and is one of the world’s most endangered species. The species is called Kemp’s ridley because Richard Moore Kemp of Key West was the first to send its specimen to Samuel Garman at Harvard university. However, the origin of the name ridley is still unclear.

Note that these turtles tend to change their color as they age. Baby turtles feature dark purple color along the sides which turns into yellow-green as they mature.

Kemp Ridley is also the only sea turtle that nests during the day.

These New Jersey turtles also practice Arribada nesting, which involves all the females nesting together in a tight group.

This helps them protect themselves better from predators as well as help their hatchlings easily make it to the open ocean.

17. Leatherback Turtle

• Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea
• Common name: leathery turtle, trunk turtle, Lute turtle, luth
• Family: Dermochelyidae
• Size: 5 to 6 feet
• Lifespan: 50+ years
• Conservation status: Vulnerable

The leatherback sea turtles are found in New Jersey state and are known to grow to mammoth sizes (up to 6 feet!). An average adult can also weigh as heavy as 540lbs!

Leatherback turtles usually have black shells. And they differ from other species of turtles with their smooth leathery carapace and skin. Their upper shell is made up of a flexible layer of dermal bones covered by tough and oily connective tissue and smooth skin.

The body of this turtle is barrel-shaped and then tapered to the rear. They have a total of 7 longitudinal dorsal ridges and their whole body is almost completely black, with some variable spotting.

Leatherback turtles in New Jersey have tooth-like cusps that work closely with their sharp-edged jaws to enable them to easily feed on jellyfish, salps, and other gelatinous zooplankton.

As for the habitat, these turtles of New Jersey are fond of tropical and subtropical waters all year round. But they tend to migrate to cooler, temperate, and boreal waters during warm weather.

Note that this species is highly migratory and can swim as many as 10,000 miles in a year between foraging and nesting grounds.

They’re also excellent divers—with the deepest diving record standing at whopping 4,000 feet!

18. Loggerhead Sea Turtle

• Scientific name: Caretta caretta
• Common name: Loggerhead, Loggerhead Sea-Turtle
• Family: Cheloniidae
• Size: 3.5 feet
• Lifespan: 70+ years
• Conservation status: Endangered

Loggerhead sea turtles boast their place as the most abundant sea turtle species in the United States and are found in many states, including New Jersey.

These turtles are pretty big and can reach up to 3.5ft in length. They weigh up to 350 pounds and can live for a whopping 70 years or more.

A loggerhead is distinguished by a slightly heart-shaped carapace that’s reddish brown in color, with pale yellow plastron. Some species also feature yellow-bordered scutes.

This turtle species of New Jersey gets its name from its large head. It has powerful jaws that enable it to feed on a variety of foods including conch, whelks, insects, jellyfish, gastropods, and algae.

The loggerhead turtles in New Jersey are usually found in temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters all year round. However, they also tend to migrate to cold boreal waters on rare occasions.

Related: Turtles in South Dakota

Conclusion

There you have it; all the 18 turtle species of New Jersey! Most of the turtles inhabiting this state live in freshwater and brackish waters and range from the common snapping turtles to the painted turtles, diamondback terrapin, mud and musk turtles, Cooters, and pond sliders.

New Jersey also hosts sea turtles like the green sea, loggerhead, hawksbill, Kemp Ridley, and leatherback sea turtles. These are located along its coastal waters.

Remember that New Jersey has more relaxed turtle possession laws and most of its species qualify for turtle pets. However, they prohibit the keeping of wild-caught turtles, except for the common snapping turtle.

Some species like the bog turtle are endangered or threatened as their population in the state is dwindling.