Interesting information about the turtle for 10 year old children. Interesting facts about turtles

1. Turtles are among the reptiles - animals that are the oldest inhabitants of planet Earth and live on it for approximately 220 million years.

At the same time, for so much long time their appearance and internal structure practically unchanged. Turtles are amazing creatures of nature that have such a distinctive appearance that you cannot confuse them with other animals.

2. The direct ancestors of modern turtles are discosaurixes, extinct amphibians. In the Cretaceous period, there were a great many turtles, about 26 families, but only 12 have survived to this day. Turtles are not direct relatives of other modern reptiles, since their development followed a separate evolutionary branch.

3. Among the descriptions of ancient turtle species, the most common are those that inhabited the Earth 220 million years ago. Extinct species that lived on the planet in a later period are also known. Their distinctive feature is that the turtle's shell was only in the lower part of the body. Prehistoric animals had teeth modern species they are missing. But they didn’t know how to hide their heads in their shells.

4. Turtles inhabit all continents of the Earth. Turtles are not found only in Antarctica.

5. The world of turtles is incredibly diverse. There are currently more than 300 species in the order of turtles. There are both land and aquatic turtles, since they live both on land and in water, and if some aquatic turtles prefer fresh rivers and lakes, then others prefer salty seas and oceans.

Leatherback turtle

6.Most known species turtles: red-eared, marsh, Balkan, leatherback, green, desert, Galapagos or elephant, sea, caiman and others.

7.Today, among all representatives of the class, the most big turtle- it's leathery. The diameter of its shell can reach two or more meters and 900 kilograms of weight. This giant animal lives in the seas.

8. Turtles, as animals, are unusual in that they have the ability to hide their head and tail under their shell. One cannot help but pay attention to such a feature of the body structure of turtles as the shell. This armor is reliable protection in many adverse situations, since the shell is able to withstand a weight exceeding the mass of the reptile itself by 200 times.

9. It is known that the shell of a turtle is riddled with nerve endings, thanks to which the animal can respond to changes environment. In moments of danger, the turtle retracts its head and limbs, as a result of which they are covered with a shell. It is rare that a predator manages to reach an animal hidden in a shelter.

10. The size of the ancient reptiles was impressive. Scientists have found that the largest turtle that ever existed on Earth supposedly measured about 4 meters in diameter and weighed more than 3 tons. Data established by scientists thanks to the found skeleton ancient turtle. It was the ancestor of the sea turtle, Archelon.

Elephant turtles

11. Among land turtles largest dimensions has an elephant turtle. Its size can be one meter in diameter, and its weight can reach 600 kilograms or more.

12.The Galapagos tortoise, also known as the elephant tortoise, can live up to 180 years in the wild.

Central Asian tortoise

13. Some species of tortoises (for example, Galapagos tortoises) can survive without food and water for a year or even more. Therefore, sailors used to take such turtles with them on long voyages (just in case) as live canned food.

14. On the scutes that make up the turtle’s shell, annual concentric rings grow, thanks to which the age of the turtle can be determined.

15. Despite their appearance, turtles have well-developed senses such as touch, smell, vision and hearing.

Big sea ​​turtle

16. Large sea turtles understand the language of dolphins, which is confirmed by experiments and observations.

17. Our ancestors ate reptiles as food, which is why many species greatly decreased in numbers and even found themselves on the verge of complete disappearance. Now turtle meat is considered a delicacy. Popular dishes offered by expensive fine restaurants are turtle eggs and soup.

18.In case of danger Mediterranean turtles hiss like snakes.

19. Sea turtles can navigate in space using the magnetic field of our planet. Sea turtles live up to 80 years.

20. Turtles can rightfully be considered one of the planet’s longest-livers. There are cases when the life expectancy of individual individuals was 250 years. Most turtles in conditions wildlife They live a little over a hundred years - their age is also quite impressive.

Pond slider

21. Red-eared turtles are able to change color, adapting to environment; the process, however, occurs much more slowly than in chameleons and therefore often remains unnoticed. The animal got its name because it has bright red spots on its head. But her ears are not red. The developed muscles of the jaws make these harmless-looking creatures quite dangerous: they can seriously injure the finger of a careless owner. The red-eared slider lives on average 30 years, with a maximum of 50 years.

22. The structure of a reptile’s body includes: head, neck, tail, limbs, and shell. The color of the shell changes depending on the age of the animal: in young individuals it is bright, light green or greenish. However, with age it becomes brown and olive. Old reptiles are completely black.

Indian tortoise

23. Many people are interested in whether a turtle can live without a shell. The answer to this question is clearly negative, the shell is connected to the skeleton of the animal and, having lost it, it will die painfully.

24. The shell is very durable and consists of two layers: the bone inner layer, formed by plates connected to the ribs and vertebrae, and the keratin layer, the outer layer. The outside of the shell is covered with horny scutes or thick skin, while in newborn animals this cover is very thin and soft, but hardens with age.

25. The shape of the shell depends on the animal’s lifestyle: land turtles have a dome-shaped, high shell. Marine - teardrop-shaped. Freshwater – dense, smooth and low.

desert tortoise

26. Desert tortoises skillfully build “pools” in which the moisture they need is retained for up to 6 hours. The sex of the cubs that emerge from the laid eggs of turtles depends on the ambient temperature. The larger the female turtle, the more eggs she can lay at one time.

27. Some species of turtles that live in water bodies are able to hold their breath for ten hours. This is a record for a group of vertebrates.

land turtle

28. The lifespan of land turtles is approximately 40 years, but the record holder for longevity is a reptile at the age of 152 years. The larger the individual, the longer it can live.

29. There are species that can go without food for a long time. For example, an elephant turtle can fast for eighteen months.

30. The meat of some species of turtles is poisonous due to the characteristics of their diet. Yes, leatherback turtles eat poisonous jellyfish, which, in turn, makes their meat poisonous.

Swamp turtle

31. The marsh turtle is a real unique one among its relatives: the membranes between the fingers and the streamlined shape of the small body help these animals swim well. They can change direction while swimming thanks to the flexible long tail. IN natural conditions prefer to settle near lakes and other freshwater bodies of water, preferably with a muddy bottom. It is at their bottom that the animal spends the winter. The diet of the marsh turtle is varied: it includes snails, worms, amphibians, and insects. Sharp claws help reptiles tear apart prey. Sometimes such a turtle manages to catch a fish, but most often these are old or sick aquatic inhabitants who are not very fast.

\32. The marsh turtle is the smallest in size, reaching only ten centimeters. The smallest turtles (captured or Namaqualand).

33. Swamp turtles live an average of 30 years, sometimes living up to 50 years. Swamp turtles are record holders for fasting. If necessary, they can go without food for up to 4-5 years.

34. Turtles prefer to live in warm climates.

35. Only one species (out of more than 300) of turtles calmly tolerates the cold - the Blanding's turtle, which lives in the north of Canada, in the Great Lakes.

Balkan tortoise

36. The Balkan tortoise lives about 100 years.

37. Turtles are well tamed and live next to humans. It became known that such animals can clearly distinguish the faces of the people who care for them. In this case, the appearance of a person is perceived visually, and not at the chemical level.

38. In addition, turtles distinguish the intonation of the human voice. When it sounds calm and gentle, the turtle stretches its head and listens to the sounds. When shouting or hearing a sharp or loud voice, turtles pull their heads under their shell.

39. There are soft-bodied turtles, they do not have a shell.

40. Leatherback turtles can dive to a depth of more than a kilometer, despite the monstrous pressure of the water column.

Sea greenturtle

41. Green sea turtles also have a second name - soup turtles; their weight can exceed 350-400 kilograms. Among the sea, there are also real babies - Atlantic ridleys, the length of the shell of adult individuals is just over 70 centimeters. Green turtles feed on algae and other aquatic plants. Predatory species capable of catching invertebrates, crabs and shellfish.

42. All types of turtles require a warm environment to reproduce. During this period, they are able to travel great distances. Young reptiles behave in a similar way.

43. Having laid their eggs, turtles forget about them forever. But there is an exception - the brown turtle guards the nest until the cubs are born.

44. In 2011, several flights were delayed at one of the New York airports due to the fault of turtles. At that moment, more than 150 turtles crawled onto the runway and decided to start laying eggs here. Flights resumed only after airport staff moved all the turtles to another safe location.

45. Despite their shell, turtles are by no means invulnerable. The jaguar, for example, loves to hunt them - its long and flexible legs allow it to do this with constant success.

snapping turtle

46. ​​Snapping turtles can watch for waterfowl and snakes. There are known cases of them attacking humans.

47. Despite all the good nature of turtles, there are species that can attack a large animal or even a person. For example, snapping turtles have been known to bite off the toes of divers while they were in the water.

water turtle

48. Only land turtles are considered slow. Sea turtles move quite quickly in aquatic environment(up to 35 km/h), however, on land their speed is halved.

49. There is a well-known case: in 1960, a turtle named Chester escaped from its owners. At that time, no one found her, but 35 years later (in 1995), this turtle was found by the neighbors of the owners on their property, which was located only 700 meters from its previous home. In 35 years, the turtle traveled less than a kilometer. How did they find out that it was Chester? It had a white stripe on its shell.

There are 6 species of inhabitants of tropical seas. Conventionally, these reptiles can be divided into Pacific and Atlantic. But they differ little from each other, and the history of their life on Earth is similar.

Green sea turtle. general description

Most close-up view- green turtle (photo below). Some giant individuals weigh about 450 kg, but, as a rule, their body weight is approximately 200 kg. The length of the low, rounded-oval carapace ranges from 70 to 150 cm. The carapace is covered with scutes that cover each other and lie side by side. The forelimbs in the form of flippers with one claw are indispensable for swimming. Large eyes are located on the small head. The carapace (the so-called dorsal part of the shell) can be olive green or dark brown with yellowish spots, its color is variable. The ventral part of the shell is yellowish or white.

Green, unfortunately, is also called soup. Just for the sake of delicious meat and famously destroy these animals. Turtle hunting continues everywhere. In places where the aquatic green turtle lives, its meat is eaten and also fed to pigs. Crafts and souvenirs are made from shells. Even bone plates are used not so much High Quality. Eggs are eaten fresh or added to pastries. Therefore, even if turtle meat is not exported to markets in large cities and other countries, many species are constantly under threat of complete extermination.

Reproduction of sea turtles

At the age of 10 years, turtles reach sexual maturity. Animals travel hundreds of miles across the ocean to mate. They swim to their native places where they were born. Mating occurs in the sea, a short distance from the shore.

After mating, the female digs a hole in the sand on the shore and lays 100 to 200 eggs in it. The green sea turtle covers the clutch with sand, thereby protecting it from predators, direct sun and heat. Small turtles will hatch from eggs on days 40-72. An egg tooth will help them open the shell, which will fall off in the first hours or days of life.

Having hatched, the turtles rush to get to the water, using their flippers as hard as they can. Kids, unlike adults, are very agile. This is a decisive moment in the beginning of their life, since on this path the turtles are especially vulnerable to birds, snakes, and rodents. But in the sea they are also in danger - sharks, dolphins, predatory fish wouldn’t mind eating baby sea turtles.

Construction of a pool for captivity

Keeping is only possible in high-quality ones with a temperature between 22 and 26°C. Indeed, in nature, the green sea turtle lives in warm tropical seas and only comes to land to lay eggs. Pool size from sea ​​water must be large, since adult reptiles have large sizes and they need a lot of space to swim. The optimal shape of the pool is round; its surface should be smooth and covered with silicone.

Good filtration, and in certain circumstances, partial replacement of water to stabilize the pH value, is mandatory, due to the very intensive metabolism of sea turtles. Cleaning the pool by sucking out food debris and waste should be done regularly. Before placing new individuals in the pool, they must be inspected.

Adult reptiles are herbivores and feed on algae and grass, but in at a young age turtles eat animals such as crabs, sponges, jellyfish, worms and snails. When choosing a feeding diet for sea turtles, you should pay attention to the prevention of water pollution. Thus, it is not recommended to use cod meat that is too soft, fatty herring, or lettuce. Shrimp, lean sea ​​fish, seaweed or spinach are quite suitable food for sea turtles.

Facts about the characteristics of turtles and their unique properties and achievements:

1. Slowest traveler:
A tortoise named Chester, marked with a white stripe for identification, escaped in 1960 and was found by a neighbor of the owners in 1995, having gone only 686 m from the house.

2. The loneliest creature on the globe:
Elephant tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus abingdoni) named Lonesome George, male, lived for a long time in a single copy on the island. Abingdon, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Unfortunately, Lonesome George died alone.

3. The largest ancient turtle Archelon is considered ( Mesozoic period). Its length was approximately 3.05 m.
Before turtles reach maturity, their mass increases 2,000 times.

4. The speed of gigantic turtles reaches only 0.37 km/h. The slowness of land turtles depends on the ambient temperature: at low temperatures, the movement of turtles slows down.

5. The most a large number of eggs, laid by turtles amounted to 200 pieces at a time. The sex of turtles also depends on the temperature: at low temperatures, males appear in the nest, at high temperatures, females appear. The laying of eggs by females does not depend on the habitat - all turtles lay their eggs on the ground.

6. Turtles can go hungry for years.
Land turtles are very hardy. If we talk about the frequency of food intake, land animals may not eat (we are, of course, talking about healthy animals kept in conditions suitable for them) for weeks or months. Cases of turtles starving for years have been described. A case is described in which a marsh turtle lived for more than five years without eating. She retains conditioned reactions even after the removal of the main part of the forebrain - due to a decrease in levels nervous system.

7. Turtles can live with major injuries.
With its head broken to rags, a turtle can live and move for tens of days!). Italian scientist Francesco Redi in the 17th century. He performed a cruel experiment: he removed the brain of a turtle. But even without it, the experimental specimen lived for six months!

8. Turtle power.
Some species are amazing in their strength: a green sea turtle can carry 4-5 people on its back - as many as can fit on its shell.

IN late XIX century, in the families of Russian capitalists of the “new wave”, it was a fashionable fad to teach their heirs turtle riding. It was believed that the mentioned sport instills in future shareholders the skills of managing employees, because it clearly shows the impatient young nature that:
1) Any instruction is always executed with a delay;
2) The performer works only with the prospect of reward in the future;
3) Shouting at the performer is pointless. He is slow and impenetrable.

9. Turtles can’t breathe for a long time.
Some species of turtles can: remain in an atmosphere without oxygen for up to 10 hours.

10. Turtles are smart.
During long-term communication, both terrestrial and freshwater turtles without difficulty, they distinguish people by sight, and visually, and not chemically, which would be quite understandable. In the pool of the turtle (old Trionics), the attendant left a small red rubber ball, which over time Trionics began to periodically push with his paws and nose in different directions, without showing any food, defensive or aggressive reflexes, i.e. without relating the object to which -or for practical purposes.
Large sea turtles understand the language of dolphins. Having arrived to lay eggs in the Nicobar Islands, turtles do not come ashore until they wait for a signal from the dolphins, indicating the possibility of moving towards the shore.

11. Turtles have long necks.
The length of the neck can reach two-thirds of the length of the body, and Trionix is ​​capable of throwing its head at lightning speed in the direction of the enemy, inflicting very dangerous bites.

12. Turtles respond to voices.
There are stories of sea turtles emerging from the water to sing for a long time. Turtles respond well to voice intonation: if you talk to a turtle kindly, it will stretch its neck and listen, and vice versa, if you scold it, it will hide in its shell.

13. Sea turtles use the Earth's magnetic fieldas a compass and map.
Experimentally confirmed phenomenal ability The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) senses the slightest changes in the Earth's magnetic field.
Ridleys, sailing hundreds of kilometers, gathering in flocks along the way, were so numerous in the time of Columbus that they became an obstacle for ships. Nowadays, a ship with the Ceylonese zoologist Deraniyagala on board met a whole caravan of ridleys, stretching out to sea for 108 kilometers! The turtles swam at a distance of 200 meters from each other, but all in the same direction.

14. Turtles are aggressive.
Trionyx cartilagineus is a terribly biting softshell turtle. A hungry flock of adult reptiles can bite a large animal to death.

15. Turtles, albeit unwittingly, saved people.
In 1969, a passenger on a ship in the Caribbean fell overboard. For more than 15 hours, until another ship picked him up, he swam holding on to the shell of a large sea turtle.

16. Turtles flew into space.
On September 21, 1968, a turtle from Kazakhstan orbited the Moon for the first time in history.
Zond-5 09/15/1968 Tests of the lunar spacecraft Soyuz-7K-L1. The first return of a spacecraft to Earth after orbiting the Moon. On September 18 the ship passed over reverse side The moon is 1,950 km away. There were living creatures on board: turtles, fruit flies, worms, plants, seeds, bacteria. Before entering the atmosphere, due to an error by the ground operator, the orientation system failed, and the ship descended along ballistic trajectory with overloads up to 20g. The ship splashed down in Indian Ocean On September 21, he was picked up by Soviet warships and delivered to the USSR via Bombay. During the flight, the turtles reportedly lost up to 10% of their body weight, but remained active and had a good appetite.

17. Turtles are not afraid of the cold.
Snapping turtles are not afraid of the cold and can crawl on ice. And some types of turtles spend the winter frozen in the ice. And in the spring they calmly thaw and continue to live.
Northern populations painted turtles(Chrysemys picta marginata and C.p. belli) in Canada can freeze into ice and withstand temperatures down to -2.5°C.
Another species of turtle, the Blanding's turtle, also tolerates the cold. This turtle thrives under the ice of the Great Lakes.

18. Turtles are mysterious.
One of the mysteries - how they got to the Galapagos Islands - is still unanswered. There were suggestions that they swam, since the Galapagos elephant is a good swimmer. But from the salty sea ​​water the turtle dies. There are also guesses that they were brought by people, but this is only a hypothesis.

19. Turtles store water.
Turtles can "catch" water during short rains in the desert. Turtles raise the back of their shell above the ground and water accumulates in the two front pits of the shell, formed by curved marginal scutes. Then the turtle raises the front part of the body and the water rolls down the neck plate onto the head and into the mouth.

20. Turtles know how to preserve their species.
An interesting property is observed in turtles - the ability of active sperm to be stored for several years in the female genital tract. This was determined by completely isolating the females. After a year of isolation, they laid 124 eggs, and only one of them turned out to be a “babbler”; after three years of imprisonment, they laid 130 eggs - this time 39 eggs turned out to be viable; and four years later, out of the same number of eggs, only 4 turtles hatched.

21. Turtles are the most ancient creatures.
The age of turtles is 200 million years. Modern turtles are similar to their ancestors. However, there is still a difference - the absence of teeth and the ability to hide his head.
Giant turtles inhabited our planet 70 million years ago. Among modern turtles there are also giants. These are leatherback turtles whose habitats are seas and oceans. The weight of leatherback turtles ranges from 300 kg to half a ton.
Turtles are long-lived: they can live more than 100 years. The age of turtles can be determined by the rings that appear annually on the scutes that make up the shell.

22. Do turtles glow?(somewhat controversial)
Turtles have phosphorus in their shells. If the shell lies in the sun during the day, then at night it will phosphorescent. Such a glow was noticed in Uzbekistan. The golden eagle, hunting turtles, brought them to the rock and threw them, trying to break the shell in order to feed the chicks. The rock with turtle shells was called “luminous”.

23. Turtles are popular
Turtles can be found on all continents except Antarctica.

24. Turtles are excellent hunters.
The snapping turtle does not need to make any effort to obtain food. All she needs is to lie down at the bottom of the pond and open her mouth, sticking out her tongue. The fish themselves swim into the mouth of this turtle, mistaking its pink tongue for a worm.

25. Turtles are beautiful.
The title of “beauty queen” went to the star tortoise, which lives in India and Sri Lanka. The scutes of her shell look like pyramids. The yellow stripes stand out brightly against the black background of these pyramids.

Auto selections: Miladyad

Turtles are the oldest living animals in the world, and it is still unknown where they came from.

People see them as an exotic curiosity or a loved one pet, love turtle soup or are sure that they are the slowest creatures in nature. By the way, this is not true. The most interesting facts about turtles are collected in one place.

Let's get to know each other better

Since their appearance - two hundred million years ago, turtles have hardly changed in appearance. The difference from the ancient species is the teeth: 150 million years earlier, turtles were so toothy that the head did not fit into the shell.

The shell is the main difference between turtles and reptiles. The shells can be horny or bone, differ in appearance, but are equally durable.

Based on their lifestyle and habitat, turtles are divided into two large groups - land and sea. There are more than 300 species of turtles in the world.

What's hiding behind the shell?

• The shell is complexly constructed: it consists of 50 parts (bones or scutes). This is not one plate as it seems. To put it unscientifically, the shell is rib cage turtles, located outside the body, not inside. Therefore, the turtle will not be able to jump out of the “house” and walk lightly, as often happens in cartoons.
• Turtles lengthen or shorten the spine - these manipulations are necessary for the animal to stick its head out of its shell or hide.

• Some types of turtles are equipped with shells that tightly close all openings if the animal is in danger. As soon as the reptile becomes alarmed, the shell turns into a reliable fortress.
• The rough shell on the outside is pierced blood vessels and nerve endings. With severe damage, the animal bleeds and experiences pain.
• The shell is ultra-strong and can withstand up to 200 times the turtle's weight.
• The shell contains phosphorus. If a turtle sits in the sun all day, it will glow at night.

• Some peoples use turtle shells for fortune telling. They believe that you can learn to read your future from the patterns on the turtle’s “armor.”
• It has been scientifically proven that you can only read the past from the shell of a turtle: the patterns of the scutes, like the annual rings of trees, indicate the age of the animal.
• In land and aquatic turtles the structure of the shell varies greatly. Land dwellers need a dome-shaped and tall one, while those living in the waters need a streamlined one. Marine shells are drop-shaped, while freshwater shells are flat and low.

The truth about snail's speed

The stereotype about “turtle” speed is confirmed by land turtles - they are indeed very slow. But in water, these animals are capable of gaining significant speed - up to 35 km/h.

How slow will the speed be? land turtle, depends on the ambient temperature: the lower it is, the slower the turtle.

A turtle named Chester went down in history as the slowest traveler. The pet left its owners in 1960 and was discovered by neighbors in 1995. The white stripe, which the owners awarded the pet just for such a case, helped identify the fugitive. Chester moved away from home by only 686 meters over these 35 years.

About strength and endurance

The green sea turtle can carry several people - three or four - as long as it fits on its shell.

Turtles can survive without oxygen for up to 10 hours and can calmly continue their life without food for up to 5 years.

About wisdom

Turtles feel everything in the full sense of the word: they have acute vision, acute hearing, sense of smell and touch. Therefore, with constant communication with their owners, these pets identify them by appearance and smell.

Turtles understand and distinguish intonations. If they hear gentle speech, they crane their necks, and if they understand that they are being scolded, they hide in their shell.

About sea turtles

Sea turtles navigate in space using magnetic field Earth. This skill allows the animal to find its native places from any distance.

An adult sea turtle is not afraid of meeting a shark. Asian soft-bodied turtles - biting and aggressive turtles - faced with a terrible sea ​​predator in a small flock, they will bite you to death.

Green sea turtle – main ingredient delicious turtle soup.

Sea turtles communicate with dolphins. When going to land to lay eggs, turtles first catch a signal from dolphins - they must confirm that conditions for reproduction are optimal.

About land turtles

All hardy turtles are classified as land turtles. They are the ones who are able to go without eating for months and years while maintaining a normal lifestyle. This is possible thanks to defense mechanisms nervous system, which adapts to the economy mode.

Turtles in deserts store rainwater as reserves. Animals lift their shells and water collects there. The structure of the body is designed to store collected water until it is needed to quench thirst.

About red-eared turtles

14% of the red-eared slider's body volume is filled with air. This keeps the animal afloat well.

Red-eared turtles became the prototypes of the famous cartoon characters - the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Red-eared turtles are chameleons: they are able to change the color of their shell to adapt to their environment.

About leatherback turtles

Among sea turtles, the leatherback, unlike the others, is able to live in the northern regions. In an animal heat bodies for survival cold water. Heating ensures regular and good nutrition leatherback turtle.

In the turtle world, it is also the record holder for deep diving: the leatherback turtle is capable of descending to a level of 1.2 km.

About the elephant turtle

This is a species of turtle that is in danger of becoming completely extinct.

The only representative of the Abingdon subspecies of elephant tortoises living on Earth is the male George. Scientists were never able to find a female that would suit George for procreation.

Lived in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) for 100 years and died in 2012. Received the nickname Lonesome George.

Elephant turtles feeding poisonous plants. No other animal in the world can eat something like this and survive.

Among the ancient turtles, the largest is Archelon: it lived in the Cretaceous period, the shell grew 5 meters in length, the animal weighed 2 tons.

The giant among today's aquatic turtles is the leatherback. The body reaches 2.5 m in length, weight – 900 kg.

Rare representatives of elephant turtles are among the giants among land turtles: they grow 1.8 m in length and weigh 400 kg.

The smallest turtle

The record holder in this category is the Cape spotted turtle. The size of an adult varies between 6 and 10 cm, weight - 95–165 g.

Bolotnaya european tortoise is also famous for its miniature size. Length 12–30 cm, weight – up to 1 kg. A common type of turtle pet for children.

The record for longevity among aquatic turtles was set by those caught by sailors in the Indian Ocean. Her age at that time was estimated at 50 years, and in captivity she lived another 150.

The world's longest-living record holder is the tortoise Jonathan, who lives on the island of St. Helena - 182 years.

The most beautiful turtle

This title went to star Indian turtle.

The carapace of this beauty - black pyramids with bright yellow stripes - is mesmerizing.

Dangerous species

Turtles can harm humans if they are representatives dangerous species reptile. Predatory subspecies - vulture, soft-bodied, big-headed, fringed - these turtles threaten with serious bites.

Leatherback turtles unintentionally become the culprits of capsized fishing boats: failing to maneuver in time, they fly into vehicle man with a battering ram.

• A turtle with six legs and two heads was discovered in Kyiv. This is a five year old female. More precisely, they are Siamese twins. The amazing animal does not have a name yet. One head of the miracle turtle is responsible for sleep, the second for food.

• The snapping turtle is cunning and lazy: it hides in the muddy bottom of a reservoir, with its mouth open and tongue hanging out. When passing fish mistake this tongue for a worm, the snapping turtle gets food.
• These animals are ubiquitous. Turtles are found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
• Fans of this animal celebrate World Turtle Day on May 23 every year.

• In September 1968 Central Asian turtles became part of the Soviet lunar expedition: on board the Soyuz-7K-L1 they flew around the Moon, lost weight, but remained alive and well.
• In 1969, a sea turtle helped a drowning man wait for rescuers: for 15 hours the man held on to the shell of the animal, which did not even think of diving back into the depths and returning to the intended route.
• On June 29, 2011, a commotion occurred due to a flock of turtles that came from the bay to JFK Airport (New York) to lay eggs there. Hundreds of turtles occupied the runways and dozens of flights were delayed.

Reptiles belong to the category of the oldest inhabitants of the planet. Modern scientists can tell a lot about the life of turtles. In their field of vision are the species that inhabit the waters and land of the Earth today, as well as the ancestors of these animals.

Prehistoric species

Among the descriptions of ancient turtle species, the most common are those that inhabited the Earth 220 million years ago. Extinct species that lived on the planet in a later period are also known. Their distinguishing feature is that they were located only in the lower part of the body. They had teeth, but modern species lack them.

The size of the reptiles is also impressive. Scientists have found that the largest turtle that ever existed on Earth supposedly measured about two meters in diameter and weighed more than two tons. The data was established by scientists thanks to the found skeleton of an ancient turtle. This turtle ancestor was given the name Archelon.

Size and habitat of modern turtle species

Today, among all representatives of the class, the largest turtle is the leatherback. The diameter of its shell can reach two or more meters. This giant animal lives in the seas.

Among land animals, the elephant is the largest. Its size can be one meter in diameter, and its weight can reach 600 kilograms or more.
The marsh turtle is the smallest in size, reaching only ten centimeters.

The habitat is very diverse. Turtles have adapted to life in the most different conditions. Its food preferences depend on where the animal lives. Food can be of plant and animal origin.

Carapace

While listing interesting facts about turtles, one cannot focus on such a feature of the structure of the animal’s body as the shell. This armor is reliable protection in many adverse situations, since the shell is able to withstand a weight exceeding the mass of the reptile itself by two hundred times. It became known that the shell of a turtle is riddled with nerve endings, thanks to which the animal can respond to changes in the environment.

In moments of danger, the turtle retracts its head and limbs, as a result of which they are covered with a shell. It is rare that a predator manages to reach an animal hidden in a shelter.

Lifespan

The turtle can rightfully be classified as a member of the group. There are known cases when the life expectancy of individual individuals was 250 years. Most turtles in the wild live a little over a hundred years - their age is also quite impressive.

To find out how old a turtle is, you need to look closely at its shell. The concentric arrangement of rings on the scutes will indicate the number of years the animal has lived. The method for determining the age of a turtle is similar to that used to determine the age of woody plants - by the growth rings on the trunk.

Movement of turtles

When listing interesting facts about turtles, it is necessary to mention the ability of these animals to move on land and in water. It is generally accepted that turtles are very slow. But this does not always happen. The speed of their movement depends on the ambient temperature. In cold weather, animals move slowly, and in hot weather, the speed increases and can reach 15 kilometers per hour. In water, turtles reach speeds of up to thirty-five kilometers per hour.

The slowness of animals is also associated with the structural features of their body. The turtle's short limbs and massive shell do not allow it to crawl at high speed. These animals are the personification of slowness and clumsiness. But it is worth recognizing that to a greater extent these characteristics apply to land species.

The specialized literature contains a lot amazing facts from the life of turtles. For example, some species that live in water bodies are able to hold their breath for ten hours. This is a record for a group of vertebrates.
Among the representatives different types turtles there are animals with aggressive habits. can watch for waterfowl and snakes. There are known cases of them attacking humans. A large animal can become a victim of a flock of hungry reptiles.

The world of turtles is incredibly diverse. There are species that can go without food for a long time. For example, he can fast for eighteen months.

Reptiles inhabit everything. Turtles are not found only in Antarctica. All species require a warm environment to reproduce. Published interesting facts about turtles always contain material telling about the behavior of animals during reproduction. During this period, they are able to travel great distances. Young reptiles behave in a similar way.

Turtles are easily tamed and live close to humans. It became known that such animals can clearly distinguish the faces of the people who care for them. In this case, the appearance of a person is perceived visually, and not at the chemical level. In addition, turtles distinguish the intonation of human voices. When it sounds calm and gentle, the turtle stretches its head and listens to the sounds. When shouting or hearing a sharp or loud voice, turtles pull their heads under their shell.

Some species are excellent divers. Cases of animals penetrating to a depth of about 1200 meters have been recorded. Turtles have also been in space. The scientists’ choice was justified by the fact that these animals can go without food for a long time, use a small amount of oxygen for breathing, and unfavorable conditions hibernate.

Animal protection

The greatest harm to turtles in the entire history of their existence on Earth was caused by humans. There are known periods when animals were massacred for meat, shell or other body parts. When sailors set sail, they took dozens of live turtles on board the ship. The animals did not require special care and feeding, and, if necessary, served as a source of dietary meat.

For preparing some recipes traditional medicine body parts of turtles or their waste products are required. This circumstance also caused the unauthorized capture of animals, which, in turn, negatively affected the population.

Man's predatory attitude towards reptiles has led not only to a reduction in their numbers, but also to the threat of extinction of animals. Urgent action was required to avoid the extinction of many species. Half of all turtle species on Earth are currently at risk of extinction.