turtle: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 6, 2026

News •

Fierce turtles square off in a rare woodland turf battle • Nov. 1, 2026, 10:10 AM ET (Popular Science)

Over 9,000 turtles seized in six years amid illegal wildlife trade • Oct. 23, 2026, 7:39 AM ET (Daily Star)

Reptile awareness day: Over 9,000 turtles rescued in six years • Oct. 21, 2026, 4:39 PM ET (Daily Star)

Turtles offer early warning to how climate change is altering ecosystems ahead of COP31 • Oct. 16, 2026, 8:38 AM ET (Globe and Mail)

Facts

Also Known As	Testudines • Chelonia

Photos and Videos

Illustrations of ten representative chelonians, including spiny softshell turtle, Galapagos giant tortoise, green turtle, alligator snapping turtle, Blanding's turtle, common map turtle, eastern box turtle, eastern painted turtle, spotted turtle, and eastern mud turtle, each labeled with its common and scientific name. A scale bar at the bottom shows size comparison.

leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Diagram comparing the plastron and carapace in terrestrial and marine turtles, showing labeled illustrations of a turtle's ventral and dorsal shells and a skeletal view highlighting the relationship between the shells and axial skeleton.

snapping turtle

Illustration of a female common map turtle (Graptemys geographica) showing its patterned brown shell and yellow-striped head and limbs, with a scale bar indicating size.

Fascinating facts about turtles

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Struggles of the endangered green sea turtle

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Surviving storms and seasons at Lake Khanka

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Topics

Cryptodira 7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Lizards and Turtles Why do turtles live for so long?What’s the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?What do turtles eat?What are turtle shells made of?side-necked turtle Why are turtles so slow?snake-necked turtle pond turtle dinosaur lizard snake alligator 7 Questions About Lizards, Snakes, and Other Reptiles Answered archosaur Why are reptiles cold-blooded?herpetology

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Turtle, tortoise, reptile. Uses assets 88582 & 89606

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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

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