10/21/2026
🐢🌿 Happy Reptile Awareness Day! 🌿🐍
Tennessee is home to an incredible diversity of reptiles, from turtles and lizards as well as snakes. In fact, more than 60 species of reptiles call Tennessee home, each playing an important role in our state's ecosystems.
Today, we're celebrating one of Tennessee's most familiar reptiles- and the Tennessee state reptile: the Eastern Box Turtle!
The Eastern Box Turtle can be found throughout most of Tennessee. With its domed shell and hinged bottom shell, it can close itself up tightly when threatened. These turtles are omnivores, eating everything from fruits, mushrooms, and plants to insects, snails, earthworms, and other small animals.
Reptiles like the Eastern Box Turtle serve a very important role as part of our Tennessee ecosystems, by helping maintain healthy food webs and contributing to the balance of forests, wetlands, streams, and other natural habitats.
For a close up of some reptiles that could be found in Tennessee, visit our snakes, located at the Visitor Center!
