The diamondback terrapin is the state reptile of the U.S. state of Maryland and is the official mascot of the University of Maryland (the Maryland Terrapins or "Terps" for short). The species was once considered a delicacy to eat and was hunted almost to extinction. Due to this it is listed as an endangered species in Rhode Island, is considered a threatened species in Massachusetts, and is considered a "species of concern" in Georgia, Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Virginia, but it holds no federal status. Please refrain from eating and posting recipes of endangered sealife. For some helpful info: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx Many restaurants here in the San Francisco Bay Area hand out the endangered lists and refuse to EVER serve such. Here are the bests here: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_health.aspx