HARRISBURG – The PA House Game & Fisheries Committee lent unanimous support to a bill that would designate the Eastern box turtle as the official state reptile of PA. House Bill 401 would add the Eastern Box Turtle to the list of PA state symbols, which include the mountain laurel as the state flower and white-tailed deer as the state animal. The Eastern box turtle can be found across the state in rural, suburban, and even urban habitats. Box turtles generally live for 25 to 35 years, but they have been known to survive for more than 100 years. Bill sponsor, Rep. Perry Stambaugh of Perry & Juniata Counties told the committee the Eastern box turtle is becoming an at-risk species. Designation as the official reptile of PA would assist in conservation efforts. The bill now goes to the full state House.
