Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA
Turtles are one of the most well-known and easily recognizable animals among children. They may be slow, but turtles are remarkable creatures. We’ll present facts featuring awesome & interesting turtles that you can share with your child.
Have you ever heard about turtles? Maybe tortoises? Have you always felt like you need clarification about the difference? It’s crucial to know that all tortoises are turtles, but not all are tortoises. They are one of the gentlest creatures to exist. Unfortunately, they’re vulnerable and endangered for various reasons.
Turtles have a long lifespan with an origin of over 100 million years. They’ve lived amongst dinosaurs, making them one of the most special land and sea reptiles. Today, many turtles have been domesticated and kept as pets, tiny ones.
Read on for fantastic turtle facts to help your child learn about these beautiful creatures.
Awesome & interesting facts about turtles
1 – There are a lot of turtle species in the world.
Around 356 species of turtles worldwide have been recorded. These are some of the most well-known ones that anyone can find on different continents:
- Hawksbill turtles
- Leatherback turtles
- Flatback turtles
- Loggerheads
- Red-eared sliders
- Western painted turtles
- African side-necked turtles
These various species live in different bodies of water, like bays, lagoons, estuaries, coastal areas, and even open oceans. Depending on the specie, turtles thrive in freshwater and saltwater. The only place they don’t exist, however, is Antarctica.
2 – Turtles can’t get out of their shell.
Turtles come from the Testudines family, and bone-like shells cover their bodies. The “carapace” is the top part, while the bottom is the “plastron.” The surface grows from their rib and their vertebrae. They collide with each other, forming a skeletal box of an enclosure; hence, they can’t leave their shell. And it’s an integral part of their body since the turtles’ shell is made of bones and cartilage.
3 – Not all turtles can hide their heads in their shell.
Turtles typically retract their whole body inside their shells when they sense danger. That’s not the case for sea turtles. They can’t tuck away their head and flippers since turtles are not prey underwater. Sadly, they’re unsafe from garbage thrown into the ocean and cruel poachers.
Two categories of turtles can retract their heads: the “side-necked” and “hidden neck” turtles. Hidden neck turtles tuck in their heads in the usual straight way; meanwhile, the side-necked ones fold their necks to one side first, then proceed with retracting their heads.
4 – Turtles are omnivores.
Omnivores are animals who eat different kinds of food, both meat, and plants. But mostly, they are herbivores by nature. Turtles who live in water eat jellyfish, squid, mollusks, and marine plants. The green turtle usually eats jellyfish, while the tortoise eats plants, invertebrates, and carrion.
Turtles don’t have teeth, although they use their keratin beaks to grab food. Species like Hawksbills use their hawk-like beak to cut through sea sponges, anemones, and coral. Loggerheads and snapping turtles have powerful jaws to feed on fish, shellfish, mollusks, and lobsters.
5 – Turtles have a long life.
Since the day they were born, turtle hatchlings have to face overwhelming trials to survive and grow. However, they have a very long lifespan which ranges from 50 years to even more. Even a recently recorded turtle, specifically a tortoise, made it over a hundred years old.
Box turtles typically live up to 30 years in the wild. Oddly enough, turtles are late bloomers, and their sexual maturity won’t manifest until they turn 50. Then, they proceed to live for 70 years.
Beautiful stories about turtles in “A Collection of Children’s Short Stories.”
Turtles may be the epitome of taking things slow, but they exist for a reason. Their lives are at stake due to unfortunate circumstances that humans have caused. Knowing the facts about them should give us a new appreciation for these gentle and harmless reptiles.
If you want to introduce to your child how amazing turtles are, you can read a collection of children’s short stories by Ruthanne. One of the book’s most famous stories is “Mila the Little Turtle,” a tale about a child named Hudson who received Mila as a birthday present. You and your child can find other stories in Ruthanne Nopson’s book, and your child will be able to picture the beautiful world of animals and how special they are.
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