tortoise: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

Critically endangered tortoises slurp up pumpkin soup • Nov. 12, 2026, 2:00 PM ET (Popular Science)

18th century blue and white Korean ovoid Crane and Tortoise jar soars to $344,400 in ACES Gallery's Fall Estates Auction • Oct. 22, 2026, 12:45 PM ET (The Arizona Republic)

Facts

Also Known As	Testudinidae

Photos and Videos

Illustration of a Galapagos giant tortoise (Geochelone nigra) showing its large domed shell, thick legs, and long neck, with a scale bar below indicating a length of 30 centimeters or 12 inches.

Leopard tortoise

A desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii or Gopherus morafkai, walks on sandy ground with its domed shell and scaly limbs visible.

Galapagos tortoises (Geochelone elephantopus)

An adult male red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius)

Red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius)

Red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) with a dark, domed shell marked by yellow-orange spots, resting on wood shavings.

red-footed tortoise

A look into the life of Galapagos tortoises

Life cycle of spur-thighed tortoises

What's the Difference Between Turtles and Tortoises?

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

How long do tortoises live?What’s the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?How big can tortoises get?Aldabra giant tortoise Mexican tortoise giant land tortoise Galápagos tortoise pancake tortoise elongate tortoise gopher tortoise Emydidae box turtle

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

turtle: Introduction

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Turtle, tortoise, reptile. Uses assets 88582 & 89606

Turtle or Tortoise?

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids