- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold common musk turtle, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the common musk turtle
The common musk turtle, also called the eastern musk turtle or stinkpot, is a small black, grey or brown turtle with a highly domed shell, about 5 to 14 cm long, and yellow-green stripes on its head and neck. It lives in southeastern Canada and much of the eastern United States, mostly in shallow, heavily vegetated, slow-moving water. It spends most of its time underwater, walking along the bottom, though it will bask on sloping logs. The diet is omnivorous, including snails, insects, crayfish and algae. When harassed it releases a foul musk from glands at the edge of its shell and may bite.
Common Musk Turtle facts
- It can climb sloping branches up to 2 m above the water and has been known to drop into passing boats.
- Its small tongue is covered in papillae that let it respire underwater.
- Some populations have megacephalic individuals with oversized heads and jaw muscles linked to a diet of hard-shelled prey.
- It hibernates buried in mud under logs or in muskrat lodges.
Where to see common musk turtle in the U.S.
5 zoos across 5 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding common musk turtle by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Florida· 1
Illinois· 1
Maryland· 1
South Dakota· 1
Utah· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
