10 totally awesome facts about turtles!
Here at Nat Geo Kids we’re turtally mad about turtles, that’s why we’ve put together these ten terrific turtle facts!
These magnificent creatures come in all shapes and sizes and live in a number of different environments. They all belong to a group of reptiles called Testudines, which includes turtles, tortoises and terrapins.
From giant, slow-moving land-dwelling tortoises and snappy terrapins basking in their fresh-water lagoons, to the graceful strokes of a sea turtle gliding through our oceans – check out our ten totally awesome turtle facts, below!
Turtle facts
1. Turtles belong to one of the oldest reptile groups in the world – beating snakes, crocodiles and alligators!
2. These creatures date back to the time of the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago – woah!
3. Turtles are easily recognised by their bony, cartilaginous shell. This super-tough casing acts like a shield to protect them from predators – some turtles can even tuck their head up inside their shell for extra protection!
4. Just like your bones, a turtle’s shell is actually part of its skeleton. It’s made up of over 50 bones which include the turtle’s rib cage and spine.
Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable sea turtle primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!
5. Contrary to popular belief, a turtle cannot come out of its shell. The turtle’s shell grows with them, so it’s impossible for them to grow too big for it!
6. What a turtle eats depends on the environment it lives in. Land-dwelling turtles will munch on beetles, fruit and grass, whereas sea dwellers will gobble everything from algae to squid and jellyfish.
7. Some turtles are carnivores (meat eaters), others are herbivores (plant eaters) and some are omnivores (a mixture of the two!). Many baby turtles start life as carnivores but grow to eat more plants as they mature.
8. Turtles are ‘amniotes’ – they breathe air and lay their eggs on land, although many species live in or around water.
9. These cold-blooded creatures have an incredibly long life span. The oldest ever recorded, named Tu”i Malila, of Tonga Island, passed away at the grand old age of 188!
10. Sadly, many species of turtle are endangered! 129 of approximately 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth today are either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, according to the IUCN. Threats include loss of habitat, pollution, poaching and the illegal pet trade.
Do you turt-ally love turtles? Then get to know some awesome species with our great green turtle facts, swimmingly good loggerhead turtle facts AND fab leatherback turtle facts.
What do you think of our turtle facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!
Images ⓒ Getty Images: Turtle in water, (636749403) . Turtle on sand, (558962897) Turtle swimming, (502266246) . Baby turtle, (127834157)
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COMMENTS1
Rae watts
I’ve always wanted to be a marine biologist and this is helping me a lot with understanding the importance of nature.
Bella li
Turtle is one of my favorite animal so I’m so sad that they are endangered because of us.if you see this pls pick up your rubbish.i went in here because I was doing a project about turtles at my school .
bee
i love turtles
Mirryn
Wow so much fun facts
TYSM! for teaching me about about turtles
isley (eyes-lee)
I want to be a marine biologist but manly focus on herpetology! and I want to go to SDSU (San Diego state) because that have the best marine biology program in the US! by the way I'm 10!!!
LEILANIII <3
this helped me understand sea turtles and helped me on my girl scout project!
peyton
i love turtles
Leila
I am thinking of becoming a marine biologist and this was very helpful!
this was fun to read!
Ananya
So awesome, I feel disappointed though that they are endangered, I will do what I can when I grow up to help save TURTLES. I love these facts, so educational thank you for sharing these brilliant facts!
Isaac
cool
I want to be a marine biologist And this is so helpfull
so cool
Cool
Iea
I never new that they ate jellyfish
Alex
So cool
Ava
so cool
jnorwoodhopper
i never knew that
wow
Mia
I love reptile and this websites help even more then books. You guys are amazing. Thank you.
my name is bob
turtles are awsome
Very educational for all ages! Thank you for sharing these facts.
Victoria Moreno
i loved the facts they were great! and i thoght that the 6th fact was the best in my opinion.
aw so cute
Theodore Clovis muscatello
I Love turtles so much and they are my favorite animal.
I hate the ocean
Wow so cool
Bessie
I love it so so much but also very sad about the endangerment
oliver
I hate turtles!
Lilia,Hadi and Mariam
We love sharks, turtles and seahorses!
bobu
save turtles
Navreet
Awesome!
khadijah
it is sad they are in danger.
dantheman
thanks for these intresting facts
Lila
This really helped me learn about turtles and gave me loads of interesting facts! Thanks National Geographic
ANTHONY
COOL!!!!!!!
Anthony Geagea
COOL!
sam
this was helpful and AMAZING
ETHAN IS FAMOUS
LETS GO
SHINY.DEN.COM
AMAZING. It relly helped on my reseach
max
Wow
ME
WOW!
WOW!
aleksia.stuardo
LET'S TAKE ACTION TO SAVE THE SEA TURTLES
Elmo
Save the turtles sksksksksksk
Evelyn
I love turtles!!
Save the sea turtles!
Don't let them get hurt! I love them to much! Help them PLEASE!
KATEHERINE
Chmp gamer
I realy loved these 10 facts they helped me so much! but I am sad some turtles are indangerd
turtle loverrrrrr
ALL TURTLES R AMAZING!!!
Cindy
Iris
So useful for my homework!!!
aubree
mmmmeeeeeeeeeeeee
cute
emmily
sea turtles are so cool
girrafre boi
Cant wait
Cool XD
Hi
WOW
shoya
amazing!
Nathan
Ellie
This has really inspired me to help all sea life creatures. Well done for making this. :)
rosy Rossi
im using this for reshearch thank you
Leah
I WUV SEA TURTLE
I LOVE SEA TURTLES
Alex
Let's take action and save the turtles because I like turtle they are the best
min
important
min
CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow
SaskiaW5
this is great
Battle cats
GOOD FAST FACTS
jakup
Wow lol
Rose
Ameliarose
Ameliarose
celestaz
wow
avyiah
Wow
Ore a
sooooo cute
dev
I LOVE TURTLES
kennedi
Turtle gang
Cool
Amber
Great turtle facts!
Matthew
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Allanah
Wow
nice
Eden
"With so many different types of turtle, there is no average size. The largest sea turtle species is the leatherback turtle. It weighs 600 to 1,500 lbs. (272 to 680 kilograms) and is about 4.5 to 5.25 feet (139 to 160 centimeters) long, according to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF)." This Live Science introduction to turtles includes details about their habitats, taxonomy, diet, offspring and other interesting facts.
hazelnut
turtles are my fav sea animals! but my sister said that turtles eat jellyfish and they look like plastic so their endangered! save these turtle! :c
Toby
Hi I like turtles
Eddy
SAVE THE TURTLES :D
Toy
Love turtles
Zul
I like it
melissa
This is great
maddie
cool! i like all theses cool facts thanks
timiama
I liked it but there was too much words and this is natgeo kids for kids to read and if I were a kid I wouldn't want to read it. Maybe add a bit more pictures and less words. But overall I really liked the facts ad the were very interesting
Sam
SAVE DEM TURTLES NOW OR ELSE D: D:
Wow I love your page
I learned about turtles
Destical
Turtles are my favourite animal in the world
chandler
WOW!!!!!
Justin park
I love sea turtles, especially leatherbacks, and I didn't know they're shells. I also didn't know some were land dwelling. I hope we can help turtles. Long live turtles.
cora
i love turtles
Lexie
These animals are my absolute fav and it was so fun learning more about their interesting life
Lexie
Awesome
nice
bgnd lof01
nice
Sharen
Amaze
Maya
turtles are my favourite reptile so l loove these facts
yinkbabaf@yahoo.com
Intresting
Kyra
These r cool
tortoise
that is cool
Chloe
i love theses turtle facts
TURTLE
I LOVE TO STUDY ABOUT ANIMALS AND TURTLES ARE THE MOST AMAZING ANIMALS I HAVE STUDIED.
Pranav
These facts are amazing!
zerella
its amazing
amazing
LS-852384
wow
aic8452
cool
JACK.GD :P
wow
cool
ⓅⓇⒾⓈⒽⒶ
ⒸⓄⓄⓁ
alfie
the turtel is soooooooooooooo cute
Turtles
I never new those things thanks xxx
Diego
Thank you for helping me with my sea turtle project
teeeeeeeed
Yayayayayayay
zayna
Help save the TURTLES !
Teresa[Ye] Kiang
Turtles are so old!
Phoenyx Ng Chok
WOW I NEVER KNEW THIS!!! :) :P
Jody Grewer
I love turtles so it was good to find more facts about them.
lil
SAVE THE CUTE LOVABLE TURTLES
Billii Meacham
i love turtles thanks for the awesome facts
eliza
awesome thank you sooooooooo much National Geographic kids
Connie
Good facts
natgeolover
I love all the animals in the ocean and on land but this particular ocean animal really hooks my interest. Thank you so much for the fantastic facts!
mietta
i love turtles so it was good to find out information
alexs
I think turtles are awesome animals. We should save turtles because they are very endangered from all of the plastic and rubbish we throw in the ocean.
Turtles are cute
Hello
I feel so sad because I love turtles!
demi trethewey
i love turtles i learnt so much THANK YOU
Jocelyn Koehler
OMG!! who knew turtles were so adorbes and so fun to learn about?!
Anna reich
Your facts are AMAZING
Alex
Love the facts I saved 18 baby turtles heading away from the sea
Andrew
I learnt so much!!!
Dante currin
It's amazing I love it THANKS!!!
Angelina
I love these facts! I already know a lot about turtles but after reading this it improved my knowledge!
Angelina
I think that turtles are amazing! My favorite animal is totally a turtle. Turtles are so cute! After reading this I know way more facts.
Jackson
Turtles are so cute.
MelonSeeds26
This really has some great facts about the life of a turtle!
Louis
Turtally awesome
Karen
I love TURTLES!!!!
jane
I love to study about. animals and turtles are the most amazing animals I have studied about
Keisha
This is so cool! I love turtles and when I saw this I loved it!
jinny
Turtles are amazing
bob
turtles are the best
Emma
Did you know some turtles are endangered because they get mistaken by plastic bags thinking it is a jellyfish. I LOVE TURTLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL!
Lol
Lexi
I love turtles! Cool and awesome
Nick
I liked those facts about turtles and I never knew that they could eat jellyfish.
Jasmine
Turtles are so amazing
Jasmine
Turtles are so amaizing
Isabella
turtles are amazing!!!!!!!!!
harvey.masters
lol so cool
Dan
Wow
Hedwighoot
Really interesting
Lizzie appleby
I think this is really awesome and is interesting
KeenanC1512
I love turtles
Gr21
Turtles are one of my favourite animals
Emily
Love the turtle facts!
Turtle dood
Turtles R Amazing,help get them off the endangered species list!!!
turtle lover 26
turtles are the best creatures ever
Cool boy
Now I know facts about Turtles
Siobhan
Thanks. These turtle facts are indeed turtally awesome.
Jenny
It's jenny again. I also wanted to add that I think what your doing is great. Your spreading awareness about endangered animals and I think that is amazing because animals can't talk and they have no way of protecting themselves like saying "stop endangering our species by littering in the ocean" and i think you doing that is really sending a message to people. I love turtles and I didn't even know some of them are endangered and now I know that for example.
Jenny
Love this page, it is so easy to use and great for kids with its bright colours and cool fonts!! You should add more quizzes that are longer, a suggestion is maybe like what type of cat are you? I know National Geographic is a very respectable company but maybe you could just do that for the kids page. It would attract many more viewers and would be fun to participate in and read!! I love animals too and enjoy reading about them so I love this page. - Jenny
Raymond Liu
This is my favourite animal we gotta take action
Ella.gauci
I like turtles now because they are so Beautiful
Arkie
Sad but superb
SOS
I never knew turtles eat jellyfish!
I love turtles!
Turtles are my favourite animal!
samari
turtles are amazing
Queenstrum
Our favourite fact was turtles are the closest relative to dinosaurs
Bubbles
I love every thing about turtles. They are so awesome! I already know lots about them but this added to my knowledge. I love learning about animals!!! How can a kid like me help these amazing creatures? Thanks so much!
bp
I love turtles lol
Wow turtles endangered?
Wolfie Haycraft Mee
I love turtles! Maybe their ability to live a long time could hold some answers for researchers looking to extend human life. And I bet that like most animals they are a lot cleverer than humans think, if only we could communicate with them.
westy6
Turtles are great! Good facts team
Lucy
Wow! I never knew any of those things about turtles!
Grace merriman
I love the turtle facts, it is sad that they are endangered.
Natalya
I love learning about turtles so much. They are the best animal in the oceans. My mum loves your killer whales too much like me that I love the females turtles the most.
RealTanner
i love turtles
Paw288
I love turtles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lollia
Turtles are my favourite animals. I really want to have a pet turtle so that I can help them to stay alive!
Katelynn24991
i liked the facts, it`s fun to learn , but i don`t like the last one because that is sad & i do not like that the turtles are endangered
Papyrus
We need to save the turtles! They matter as much as we do! #SaveTheTurtles!
choppers1
turtles are so cute why would any one want o hurt them they are harmless plus what did they ever do to the poachers ? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jumana
Cool facts, they have taught me a good lesson !!
Amamamashina
Wow! Turtles sound awesome, I rarely get to go out on walks to places cause my mum has an illness called pots but this website has helped me learn about animals even so!
KEIRA
i feel sorry for turtles
Turtlelover9000
Turtles are awesome
TurtleLover12
U gotta love turtles
danielle _m
wow! I have never known that much about turtles I am going to write a story about all these facts on turtles these are amazing going to learn about the other animals and maybe write stories about all of the animals I can learn about. your website is awesome
awesome dude
awesome turtle facts
Cherry
My favourite animal are turtles!
Candywolf1612
AWSOME I LOVE TURTLES!
Rebecca
turtles are AWESOME!! and these facts are 100% true
Emie
turtles are awsome
Fredward
Cool facts! I enjoyed reading them!
rokeebat
I think the facts about the turtles are amazing
cuteanimallover99
SAVE DE TURTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ellie12356
COOL! Turtle facts I didnt know turtles belonged to older reptiles!
DramaLlama
I love turtles they are amazing and I voted for them in whats your favourite animal!
epc
I love turtles
LeopardStars
Love turtles. Those facts are great facts, National Geographic! Keep up the good work!
Awsometurtlegirl
Amazing turtles! :D
Xander
I think your turtle facts were very interesting and I liked them. (Alexander, age 6)
Benja
This was very interesting telling me about turtles. It told me things that I never knew about the species.
Morgan18481
Interesting facts - I didnt know any of them before!
Edita
I love national geographic!I love turtles
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