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Meet the Testudines -

Turtles belong to a group of reptiles called Testudines, which includes turtles, tortoises, and terrapins.

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As old as the dinosaurs -

Turtles are ancient creatures. They've been on Earth for over 200 million years, longer than snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.

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Triassic-era fossils -

In fact, the earliest known turtle fossils date back 220 million years to the Triassic Period. Anatomically, they are nearly identical to modern turtles.

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Abundant species -

There are about 356 species of turtles, including land-dwelling tortoises and freshwater terrapins. They are found all over the world, except Antarctica.

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A world of water -

Turtles spend most of their lives in water. Indeed, they are adapted to aquatic life, having webbed feet or flippers and a streamlined body.

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Sunny side up -

Freshwater turtles are found in ponds and lakes. You often see them on logs or rocks basking in the warm sun.

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Cold-blooded creatures -

As reptiles, turtles are cold-blooded. They have a backbone, breathe air, and lay eggs.

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Housing material -

Turtles and tortoises have a hard outer shell that is made from keratin, the same material that your fingernails are made out of.

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Turtle skeleton -

In fact, a turtle's shell is actually part of its skeleton. It's made up of over 50 bones, which includes its rib cage and spine.

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Taking shelter -

When threatened or danger strikes, a turtle will use their flexible neck to retract their head safely inside their shield-like shell. They can also tuck their feet into their shell.

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Lifelong home -

A turtle cannot come out of its shell; the turtle's shell grows with them. It's impossible for them to grow too big for it.

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Made for the land -

Tortoises are land animals. Instead of webbed feet or flippers, these creatures have round and stumpy feet, adapted for walking on terrain.

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Made for water -

On land, most turtles can only walk around 3 mph (4.8 km/h). In water, however, some species reach an impressive 12 mph (19 km/h).

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Solitary creatures -

Turtles are not social creatures. They prefer their own company and rarely interact with other turtles, except to mate.

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Beachgoer -

Likewise, sea turtles rarely leave the ocean, other than to lay eggs in sand on beaches.

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Life cycle -

Mating occurs in the spring, summer, and fall. Turtles leave the water to dig a nesting burrow to lay their eggs. For most species, incubation ranges from 45 to 75 days. The sea turtle lays up to 100 eggs.

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A dangerous journey ahead -

According to the World Wildlife Fund, only around one in 1,000 marine turtle hatchlings make it to adulthood.

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What's on the menu? -

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Appetite for anything -

Sea turtles have a voracious appetite, feeding on anything from jellyfish and squid to algae and seagrass, depending on the species.

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All sea turtle species are threatened -

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Worrying trend -

In this respect, these creatures are trending, but for all the wrong reasons. According to the IUCN, 129 species of turtle and tortoise are either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

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Unknown quantity -

The flatback turtle is classified by the IUCN Red List as data deficient, meaning there is presently insufficient scientific information to determine its conservation status.

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Largest sea turtle -

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Largest tortoise -

The Galapagos tortoise is equally impressive, reaching lengths of up to 6 ft (1.82 m) and tipping the scales at 573 lbs (260 kg).

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Temper, temper -

Turtles are not aggressive, but can hiss their displeasure if disturbed. Some species, specifically the snapping turtle, can deliver a nasty bite if they feel threatened.

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World's oldest living land animal -

A turtle's lifespan depends on the species. Most aquatic species live into their forties. Some tortoises can live 100 years or more. The world's oldest living land animal is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (pictured). In December 2023 Jonathan celebrated his 191st birthday, according to Guinness World Records.

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World's smallest tortoise -

The world's smallest species of tortoise is the speckled Cape tortoise. It's restricted to an arid region in the west of South Africa.

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African predator -

The African helmeted turtle, also known as the marsh terrapin, is the most common turtle in Africa. This species is a hunter-scavenger with a taste for young birds and small mammals. It's known for releasing an offensive musky odor when threatened.

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Island dweller -

Another rarity is the odd-looking Roti Island snake-necked turtle. So named for its elongated neck, this species is only found on Rote Island in Indonesia. The IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered.

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Weird and wonderful -

Arguably the most bizarre-looking turtle species is the Asian giant softshell turtle. Another critically endangered reptile, this creature has a broad head and small eyes close to the tip of its snout. Their shell is soft, flat, and rubbery, which makes this turtle very fast in water.

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Heading for extinction? -

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