There are two different subspecies of western box turtles in many parts of New Mexico — the ornate and the desert. They are land turtles but spend most of their time underground. These turtles have high-domed shells and mostly black or brown coloring with some yellow stripes on the shell. Western box turtles have been spotted in Los Alamos county on North Mesa but it is unclear if they are native or released former pets.
In any case, find out more about these interesting reptiles in the Featured Critter Guide.