Kansas designated the ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) as the offical state reptile in 1986. There are only two species of land-dwelling turtles that live on the great plains (the ornate box turtle and its close cousin, the eastern box turtle). The ornate box turtle prefers prairies and pastures over forest - it is found from South Dakota to southern Arizona and the Rio Grande valley (the Mississippi river generally marks the eastern boundary of its range).

The ornate box turtle can completely withdraw its legs, tail, head and neck into a sturdy shell which protects it from predators such as coyotes, raccoons, and foxes. The shell can not protect the turtles from vehicles however - if you see a box turtle on the highway, please stop your car and gently place this unique creature on the side of the road in the direction it is traveling.

Active between April and October, an ornate box turtle usually spends its entire life within an area of only a few acres. It's diet consists of insects, spiders, worms and some vegetation such as berries. The female is slightly larger than the male. She digs a hole early in the summer to lay 2-8 white eggs and then abandons the nest. The quarter-sized babies hatch a few weeks later and fend for themselves. In fall the ornate box turtle digs a shallow hole to hibernate in. It is illegal in Kansas to take turtles from the wild to keep as pets.

Source:

Ornate Box Turtle: Great Plains Nature Center

Links:

State Reptiles & Amphibians - 50 States List