Fascinating facts about turtles
Learn some interesting facts about turtles.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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• Nov. 1, 2026, 10:10 AM ET (Popular Science)
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• Oct. 21, 2026, 4:39 PM ET (Daily Star)
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• Oct. 16, 2026, 8:38 AM ET (Globe and Mail)
Transcript
You may already think turtles are awesome, but here are some more reasons to love them.
The earliest known turtle species dates back to the Jurassic Period— they coexisted with dinosaurs!
There are over 300 species of turtles living today.
The largest living turtle, the leatherback sea turtle, can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
Sea turtles can stay underwater for 4 to 7 hours before they need oxygen.
A pair of Russian tortoises were the first vertebrates to travel to the moon.
They were launched into space and flew around the moon as part of a Soviet mission.
The earliest known turtle species dates back to the Jurassic Period— they coexisted with dinosaurs!
There are over 300 species of turtles living today.
The largest living turtle, the leatherback sea turtle, can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
Sea turtles can stay underwater for 4 to 7 hours before they need oxygen.
A pair of Russian tortoises were the first vertebrates to travel to the moon.
They were launched into space and flew around the moon as part of a Soviet mission.
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