PRINTER'S NO. 1222
No. 1097 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY SCRIMENTI, BELFANTI, MILLER, YOUNGBLOOD, TRELLO,
CAPPABIANCA, LAUGHLIN AND JOSEPHS, MARCH 9, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 9, 1995
AN ACT
1 Designating the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
2 as the official State reptile of Pennsylvania.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Official State reptile.
6 The Eastern Box Turtle is one of the most common turtles seen
7 in this Commonwealth with a range that spans over most of this
8 Commonwealth. The Eastern Box Turtles have a mild disposition,
9 and many residents have made pets out of them. This species is
10 easily recognizable because of its sharply rising dome-shaped
11 upper shell. It is the only turtle in this Commonwealth that has
12 a single broad, movable hinge that allows the box turtle to
13 close tightly, protecting it from predators. The Eastern Box
14 Turtle is primarily a terrestrial animal and has a long life
15 span of 40 to 100 years, spending most of its life living in a
16 small home range. Because of development of its natural habitat,
17 the Eastern Box Turtle is currently decreasing in numbers. The
1 Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is hereby
2 selected, designated and adopted as the official State reptile
3 of Pennsylvania.
4 Section 2. Effective date.
5 This act shall take effect immediately.
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