Abbie Janelle G.

Lopez
THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A REALLY, REALLY LONG TIME

THERE'S A REASON WHY TURTLES LOOK A LITTLE PREHISTORIC. THE FIRST EVER SPECIMENS EVOLVED
AROUND 260 MILLION YEARS AGO IN THE LATE-TRIASSIC PERIOD. SHORTLY AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL, THE
EARTH EXPERIENCED A MASS EXTINCTION EVENT THAT WIPED OUT ABOUT 90% OF ALL LIFE ON LAND.
LUCKILY FOR THE TURTLES, THEIR BURROWING AND WATER-DWELLING HABITS SET THEM UP FOR LONG-
TERM SURVIVAL IN THIS STRANGE NEW WORLD.
THEY HAVE ONE OF THE LONGEST LIFESPANS IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

WHILE A TURTLE'S LIFESPAN LARGELY DEPENDS ON THE SPECIES, ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO LIVE TO A RIPE OLD AGE. A TYPICAL PET TURTLE CAN MAKE IT TO ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10
AND 80 YEARS, WHILE LARGER SPECIES OFTEN KEEP GOING FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. BECAUSE IT'S SO
DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY MEASURE AGE OVER A CENTURY, RESEARCHERS THINK SOME TURTLES COULD
EVEN BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD.
THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 356 KNOWN SPECIES OF TURTLES. AS A RULE, THEY ARE ALL REPTILES WITH
A HARD CARTILAGE SHELL. BUT THAT'S ABOUT WHERE THE SIMILARITIES END. THERE ARE SEA
TURTLES, LEATHERBACK TURTLES, SNAPPING TURTLES, POND TURTLES, SOFT-SHELLED TURTLES
(PICTURED)– AND OF COURSE, TORTOISES…
SOME TURTLES ARE VEGETARIANS, WHILE OTHERS ARE CARNIVOROUS

MOST TURTLES ARE ACTUALLY OMNIVORES, BUT A FEW SPECIES ARE MORE PICKY WHEN IT COMES
TO THEIR DIET. MOST TORTOISES ARE HAPPY TO MUNCH ON LEAFY GREENS OR FRUIT. NOT SO THE
FEARSOME-LOOKING ALLIGATOR TURTLE, WHICH IS ALMOST ENTIRELY CARNIVOROUS AND FEEDS
ON ANYTHING FROM FISH TO SMALL MAMMALS THAT VENTURE TOO CLOSE TO THE WATER'S EDGE…
• FREAKY FACT

• A BITE FORCE OF A MATURE ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE CAN CUT OF A PERSON’S FINGER IN A SNAP.

• THEY CAN BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IF PROVOKE AND CAN PUT YOU IN A AMBULANCE.
ALL SPECIES LAY THEIR EGGS ON LAND

WHEN THEY'RE READY TO LAY THEIR EGGS, EVEN WATER-DWELLING TURTLES WILL DIG THEIR
NESTS IN THE SAND OR THE EARTH NEAR THEIR HABITAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT THE NURTURING TYPE.
NO SPECIES OF TURTLE STICKS AROUND TO RAISE THEIR YOUNG. WHEN THE BABIES HATCH,
THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.
THEY HAVE AN AMAZING SENSE OF DIRECTION

SEA TURTLES ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR AMAZING ABILITY TO RETURN TO THE EXACT BEACH WHERE THEY
WERE BORN YEARS LATER. LIKE MANY ANIMALS, TURTLES CAN NAVIGATE THEIR WAY AT SEA BY SENSING
THE INDIVIDUAL LINES OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD. BUT THEY CAN ALSO REMEMBER THE MAGNETIC
SIGNATURE OF COASTLINES AND SENSE TINY VARIATIONS IN MAGNETIC FIELDS, ALLOWING THEM TO
GUIDE THEMSELVES HOME.
ALL SPECIES LAY THEIR EGGS ON LAND

WHEN THEY'RE READY TO LAY THEIR EGGS, EVEN WATER-DWELLING TURTLES WILL DIG THEIR
NESTS IN THE SAND OR THE EARTH NEAR THEIR HABITAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT THE NURTURING TYPE.
NO SPECIES OF TURTLE STICKS AROUND TO RAISE THEIR YOUNG. WHEN THE BABIES HATCH,
THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.
MOST TURTLES CAN SURVIVE STAYING IN THE WATER FOR A LONG TIME

SOME TURTLES PREFER STAYING UNDERWATER. THEY CAN STAY IN THE WATER FOR HOURS AND
RISE TO DO BASKING TO GET THE VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN.
Turtles are great pets, they can recognize you and you can grow old together. If you take care of it
properly. Meet my Turtle Rafael, A Florida Yellow Belly Turtle.