Turtles in Washington, D.C.

The quickest way to know which turtles live in Washington, D.C. is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified turtles sightings across Washington, D.C., 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 Washington, D.C..

Turtles seen most often in Washington, D.C.

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

Common Snapping Turtle

Northern Red-bellied Cooter

Pseudemys rubriventris

525 observations

Eastern Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

Graptemys pseudogeographica

48 observations

Eastern Mud Turtle

Kinosternon subrubrum

African Spurred Tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata

1 observation

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 Washington, D.C.. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in Washington, D.C.

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

Common questions

What turtles live in Washington, D.C.?

Commonly recorded turtles in Washington, D.C. include Pond Slider, Common Box Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, Northern Red-bellied 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 Washington, D.C.?

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

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