The box turtle is a genus of turtle native to North America. It is also known as the box tortoise, although box turtles are terrestrial members of the American pond turtle family, and not members of the tortoise family. It is largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators.
Fun Fact The age of a growing box turtle in the wild can be roughly estimated by counting the growth rings on the scutes.