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15 Fun Facts About Turtles

Turtles are described as an order of reptiles which is referred to as Testudines which also includes tortoises and terrapins. One of their major distinguishing characteristics is the special shell that develops from their ribs. Their shells are made of bone in which the underside is the belly plate or plastron and the exterior part is the domed carapace. The outer part of the shell is covered by scales that are made of keratin. These fascinating creatures can live in different environments and come in different sizes and shapes depending on the species. They are believed to date back over two hundred million years ago to the time of dinosaurs. Currently, these amazing creatures are kept as pets as most of them are small in size and not dangerous to humans. In this article, we will discover the fun and amazing facts about turtles.

Below are 15 fun facts about turtles

1. Sea Turtles Can’t Retract their Head

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Every creature has a way of protecting itself from danger when they sense an enemy around. As a way of protecting themselves from danger, turtles retract their head into their shells when facing danger. However, sea turtles cannot retract their heads in the face of danger. Scientists claim that these turtles developed the inability to retract their heads because they do not face any predators in the water. However, the others can retract their heads in the face of danger.

Also see: Top 10 Heaviest animals in the world

2. Many turtles Start their life as Carnivores

It is astonishing how these incredible creatures feed and live both in dry land and water and adapt to various environments. Some of the turtles are herbivorous and feed on plants, others are carnivores and feed on meat while others feed on both meat and plants. However, many baby turtles begin life by feeding on meat and as they develop they transition to feeding more plants.

3. Turtles have an incredibly long lifespan

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Turtles are faced with several threats, especially hatchlings where bodies are not well developed and who end up eaten by predators. Out of the thousands of baby turtles that hatch, only a few have the chance to survive and get to adulthood. Just one in a thousand can manage to reach the adult stage. However, those that manage to survive to mature, have a long life span. On average, these creatures can live comfortably for about fifty years or more while those in the wild live for an average of thirty years. Some sea turtles reach sexual maturity late and can reproduce at the age of fifty years and live up to seventy or more years.

4. Turtles hold their Breath while in water

Like most sea creatures, turtles do not have gills that can help them take in oxygen while in water. These incredible creatures can hold onto their breath for a length of time before they can resurface. Sea turtles are said to spend about four – seven hours sleeping in the water while others even hibernate in the water. However, after some hours in the water, they resurface to take in air and forage for food after lengthy dives. Turtles can also dive for about three thousand feet in search of jellyfish.

5. There are over 300 Species of Turtle

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There are over three hundred species of turtle worldwide that live in both land and sea. These turtles are distributed in the open sea and oceans, shallow coastal waters, lagoons, estuaries, and bays among other places. Some of the commonly known species include western pained turtles, African side-necked turtles, hawksbill turtles, flatback turtles, leatherback turtles, and loggerheads among others.

6. Turtles exist in all Continents except Antarctica

Turtles are found in all areas of the continent and this is because they are capable of surviving and adapting to any environment. One other fact is that they can feed on plants, meat, or even both which makes it easy for them to survive. However, research has shown that turtles are everywhere else on the continent except Antarctica. Most of the native species are found in South Asia and South-eastern North America. Europe has got only five types of species while the Australian waters have flatbacks only.

Check out: What are the deadliest animals in the ocean?

7. Temperatures determine the sex of the Turtle

The temperatures of the nest determine whether the turtle will be a male or a female. If the nest is at a warm temperature throughout the incubation period, the nest will produce female turtles. If the temperature of the nest maintains at cool temperatures throughout the incubation, all the hatchlings will be male. However, if the temperature of the sandy nest keeps fluctuating between cool and warm, the hatchings will be a mixture of male and female.  

8. Female Turtles store mating Sperms

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Turtles reproduce by laying eggs and fertilizing them and leaving them for two months to develop and hatch. Sea turtles mate at sea and the female comes to the land to make the hatching nest and lay the eggs. They make the nests by digging holes into the ground. After laying the eggs, they fertilize them using the sperms which they store earlier during the mating season. They lay about 100 – 125 eggs which mature within two months and the hatchlings dig their way out to the sea.

9. Sea Turtles Are Photo tactic

Sea turtles are attracted to light and are considered lovers of light. Sea turtles follow the light which is the bright moonlight reflecting on the water. The hatchlings are also guided to their home in the sea by the light. However, artificial lights brought about by human encroachment on turtle habitats confuse the turtles and this is becoming fatal. Turtles end up confused about where they lay eggs due to such factors.

10. June 16^th is the World Sea Turtle Day

16^th June is the world day that has been set aside in honor and celebration of sea turtles. This day is set apart to celebrate these beautiful creatures that have been in existence for a long time and date back to over two million years ago. This was the age of dinosaurs which became extinct with time. Traditionally, these creatures are considered a symbol of trickery or wisdom.

11. Turtles Cry to Get Rid of Excess Salt in the Body

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Sea turtles sometimes cry when they are out of the water. You may observe tears pouring from their eyes which is a mechanism they use to excrete excess salt in the body. Turtles have their lacrimal glands located behind their eye which enables them to get rid of a saline solution considered to be twice as salty as seawater. However, it is not easy to observe turtles cry in water because the tears mix up with water but can be seen on the land. These tears also help to prevent dehydration while nesting and help keep sand from their eyes.

12. The Leatherback Species is the largest Sea Turtle

Generally, turtles vary in size which ranges between 2 to 7 feet, and weigh approximately between 70 to 1500 pounds and above. However, leatherback species can weigh up to 2,000 pounds or more. In 1987 the largest leatherback turtle was discovered on the Welsh coast and weighed 970 kilograms and measured 9 feet. However, in history, the largest turtle lived over 100 million years ago and measured 21 feet long.

13. Tortoises are a Species of land Turtle

Tortoises are a species of turtle that live exclusively on land. They all share similar characteristics which include exo – skeletal shells. However, tortoises have adapted to live on land and they have columnar feet while other turtles have flipper-like limbs which are common. Tortoise mostly inhabits forests and deserts.

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14. Turtles are among the Few Animals that Feed on Seagrass

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Turtles are among the few animals that feed on seagrass. By feeding on the sea grass, they help to maintain the sea bed which regularly needs to be kept short. Turtles do not only feed on the grass but also use it as a breeding ground. However, when turtles nest, some of the eggs don’t hatch and end up discarded in the vegetation. As a result, the discarded eggshells provide nutrients to the dune vegetation and help to prevent beach erosion.

15. The existence of Turtles is Threatened

Over the years the existence of turtles has been threatened by several factors. In their early stage of life, the eggs and hatchlings are threatened by predators including fish, human prey, birds, or snakes. Other factors such as plastic pollution deposited in water masses and climate change also endanger their lives. 

Turtles are incredible creatures that have existed for a long time. Their characteristics and behaviors are so outstanding and captivating to learn and discover.