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Turtles in Georgia

The quickest way to know which turtles live in Georgia is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified turtles sightings across Georgia, and the list beneath it is the turtles recorded most often there lately. Spring and early summer are the best time to find them basking or crossing roads to nest. If you help one across, send it the way it was already heading and never move it somewhere new.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to turtles across Georgia.

Turtles seen most often in Georgia

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
10,520 observations
Pond Slider
Trachemys scripta
7,997 observations
Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
2,611 observations
Gopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
2,355 observations
River Cooter
Pseudemys concinna
1,989 observations
Eastern Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus
1,245 observations
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
870 observations
Florida Softshell Turtle
Apalone ferox
780 observations
Eastern Mud Turtle
Kinosternon subrubrum
649 observations
Coastal Plain Cooter
Pseudemys floridana
437 observations
Diamondback Terrapin
Malaclemys terrapin
288 observations
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Caretta caretta
242 observations
Stripe-necked Musk Turtle
Sternotherus peltifer
209 observations
Loggerhead Musk Turtle
Sternotherus minor
197 observations
Barbour's Map Turtle
Graptemys barbouri
129 observations · iNaturalist
Chicken Turtle
Deirochelys reticularia
107 observations
Florida Red-bellied Cooter
Pseudemys nelsoni
102 observations
Striped Mud Turtle
Kinosternon baurii
72 observations
Intermediate Musk Turtle
Sternotherus intermedius
67 observations · iNaturalist
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
65 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in Georgia. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in Georgia

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Looking more widely? See turtles near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What turtles live in Georgia?

Commonly recorded turtles in Georgia include Common Box Turtle, Pond Slider, Common Snapping Turtle, Gopher Tortoise, River Cooter, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

When is the best time to see turtles in Georgia?

Spring and early summer are the best time to find them basking or crossing roads to nest. Recent verified sightings across Georgia are the most reliable guide to what is active right now.

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