Turtles

•  do not have teeth

• can swim up to 22 MPH

• sea turtles can eat a jelly fish

• 60-90 days to hatch

•  All seven species are considered threatened or endangered.T

• Turtles are fascinating reptiles with many unique features! They have shells for protection, come in various sizes, and live in different environments. Some turtles can live for over 100 years, and they even make sounds, which they use to communicate. 

• Sea turtles can hold their breath underwater for hours and sleep underwater, using their large lungs to store oxygen

• turtles have been around for a very long time, dating back to the Mesozoic era. 

• There are over 350 species of turtles worldwide. 

• Turtles come in various shapes and sizes, from small freshwater turtles to giant sea turtles. 

• A turtle's shell is not an exoskeleton; it's actually fused bones from the rib cage and backbone. 

• Turtles can't retract their heads, but some turtles have a unique ability to retract their necks. 

• Turtles are not silent; they can make noises for communication. 

• Turtles are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature fluctuates with their environment. 

• Turtles have a varied diet, with some being herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous. 

• Turtles are great travelers and have been known to migrate long distances. 

• Turtles face many threats in nature, including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. 

• A group of turtles is called a bale. 

• Turtles can sleep underwater. 

• Turtles don't have teeth; they have a strong, sharp beak. 

• Turtles have a second shell, which is the bony part of their carapace (upper shell). 

• Turtles can hold their breath for extended periods, especially sea turtles, which can hold their breath for up to 5 hours. 

• Turtles are natural navigators and can use the stars and magnetic fields to migrate. 

• Turtles can dive to great depths, some reaching almost 1000 feet. 

• Hawksbill sea turtles are named for their hawk-like be

• Green sea turtles are known for their preference for seagrass. 

• Leatherback sea turtles are adapted to eat soft things like jellyfish. 

• Olive ridley turtles have mass nesting events. 

• Nest temperature determines the sex of sea turtle hatchlings, with warmer temperatures producing more females. 

• Sea turtles can be found in all the world's oceans. 

• Sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches during the nesting season. 

• Some sea turtle species nest during the day. 

• Sea turtles are not very social animals.

• Sea turtles have a long lifespan, with some living over 100 years. 

• Sea turtles can hold their breath for up to 7 hours, which allows them to sleep underwater. 

• Sea turtles can dive to depths of up to 3,300 feet. 

• Sea turtles have a three-chambered heart. 

• Climate change is affecting the sex ratio of some sea turtle species, with warmer temperatures leading to a greater number of females. 

• Many sea turtle hatchlings don't survive to adulthood. 

• Leather back sea turtles have a unique diet, primarily consisting of jellyfish. 

• Green sea turtles are vegetarians, feeding mainly on sea grass and algae. 

• sea turtles have a sharp beak that helps them to extract prey from coral reefs. 

• Olive ridley turtles have a unique nesting behavior, with mass nesting events where hundreds or even thousands of turtles nest on the same beach. 

• Turtles lay their eggs in nests, often dug in the sand. 

• The female turtle will return to the same nesting beach each year to lay her eggs. 

• Turtles can lay a large number of eggs, up to 100 or more in a single clutch.

Happy World Turtle Day!! 🐢 Did you know that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises? Turtles belong to the order which are reptiles that have bodies encased in a bony shell. Tortoises are turtles that strictly live on land, whereas sea turtles and freshwater turtles live an aquatic/semi-aquatic lifestyle. Turtles also have very different legs depending on their habitat. Sea turtles are known for their paddle-like flippers used for swimming. Freshwater turtles have webbed feet with claws that can be used for swimming or walking on land. Tortoises have short, club-like legs used for walking on land. World Turtle Day is meant for celebrating ALL types of turtles. What’s your favorite turtle? Tell us in the comments!