Turtles and Tortoises

There are 293 species of turtles and tortoises. Turtles and tortoises are big reptilians. Their difference between turtles and tortoises is very simple. Turtles live in water, while tortoises live on land. Today, we'll learn some facts about Loggerhead sea turtle (first image), Alligator snapping turtle (forth image), Leatherback turtle (third image), Indian star tortoise (fifth image), Desert tortoise (second image) and Galápagos tortoise. Loggerhead sea turtles , Leatherback turtles and Galápagos tortoise are endangered. Loggerhead sea turtle reaches sexual maturity within 17–33 years and has a lifespan of 47–67 years, it can reach 70 to 100 centimeters and it eats crabs, lobsters, small fish and jellyfish. Its maximum reported weight is 545 kilos, but the average weight of adults is 80 to 200 kilos. Loggerhead sea turtles have a very big and thick head, and you can recognize them by their colour. The head and carapace range from a yellow-orange to a reddish-brown, while the plastron (underside) is typically pale yellow. The turtles' neck and sides are brown on the tops and yellow on the sides and bottom. Their jaws are large and powerful, which serve as an effective tool for dismantling its prey. They lay about 120 eggs every 2 to 3 years. To breed, they return at the beach where they was born. Alligator snapping turtle can live more than 25 years, it can reach 40 to 80 centimeters and it eats small fish. It's the biggest turtle of freshwater. She usually wanders with her sharp jaws open attracting in the its jaws fish, while it wags its small pink tongue. The alligator snapping turtle is given its name because of its immensely powerful jaws and long, spring-like neck, as well as distinct ridges on its shell that are similar to the rough, ridged skin of an alligator. It is characterized by a large, heavy head, and a long, thick shell with three dorsal ridges of large scales, giving it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs. It's bite can be lethal! Leatherback turtle can live more than 35 years. The Leatherback sea turtle sometimes called the "lute turtle" or "leathery turtle", is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth-heaviest modern reptile behind three crocodilians. Relatives of modern leatherback turtles have existed in some form since the first true sea turtles evolved over 110 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. It eats jellyfish and fish. It's the biggest turtle in the planet so that's why they can weigh 800 kilos! The leatherback has several characteristics that distinguish it from other sea turtles. Its most notable feature is the lack of a bony carapace. Instead of scutes, it has thick, leathery skin with embedded minuscule osteoderms. Leatherback turtles are amazing swimmers. Some of them have crossed the Atlantic Ocean! Indian star tortoises are small and sweet. They are always thirsty. The Indian star tortoise is a specie of tortoise found in dry areas and scrub forest in India and Sri Lanka. This species is quite popular in the exotic pet trade. The Desert tortoises live about 50 to 80 years, they grow slowly and generally have low reproductive rates. They can tolerate water, salt, and energy imbalances on a daily basis, which increases their lifespans. They can reach 40 centimeters and their weight can reach 5 kilos. These cute tortoises eat some insects, grass and cactus! They can live in areas where the temperature is 60 °C. They spend most of their time in burrows, rock shelters, and pallets to regulate body temperature and reduce water loss. They are most active after seasonal rains and are inactive during most of the year. Galápagos tortoises live in Galápagos Islands. They are gigantic and huge. They can reach more than 1.2 meters. Galápagos tortoises can live more about 100 years in the wild and they can live over 150 years in captivity. One of them have lived more than 170 years! Up to 15 species of Galapagos tortoises have been identified, although only 11 survive to this day.

There are also some turtles and tortoises which live in the wild, but some of them are kept as pets. For instance, "Red Eared Sliders" and "Yellow Bellied Slider" are 2 species of turtles which are usually kept as pets. All the turtles and tortoises live over 10 years if they aren't sick. If you care them well, they can live more than 20 years. These 2 species can live 15 to 25 years and they are small, but they can reach 40 centimeters. Depending on the specie of turtle/tortoise they can be cheap or very expensive. Some of them costs over 1000$ . Red Eared Slider is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world. Yellow-bellied sliders are popular as pets, too. I have a male Red Eared Slider and a female Yellow Bellied Slider. Their care is simple. You have to change the water of their tank every day and feed them shrimps (you can find their food at a pet shop). P.S. They cannot live without water and if you touch them often, they'll get sick and die. I know it very well because my last turtles died because of that :( So care your turtle/tortoise with love.

Scientific names:

Loggerhead sea turtle: Caretta caretta

Alligator snapping turtle: Macrochelys temminckii

Leatherback turtle: Dermochelys coriacea

Indian star tortoise: Geochelone elegans

Galápagos tortoise: Geochelone nigra

Desert tortoise: Gopherus morafkai

Red eared slider: Trachemys scripta elegans

Yellow bellied slider: Trachemys scripta scripta