Fun Facts About Turtles

Turtles are some of the most amazing and ancient creatures on Earth. With their protective shells, slow and steady pace and incredible longevity, turtles have fascinated people for thousands of years. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of these shelled superstars with some Turtle Facts!

Turtles are ancient, shelled reptiles that have existed for over 200 million years, dating back to the dinosaurs.

Turtles do not have teeth; they use sharp, beak-like mouths to chew food.

There are more than 350 species of Turtles.

How Long Do Turtles Live? With proper care, most pet turtles live 15–40 years. Sea turtles can live 50–100 years in the wild. And giant tortoises? Some live over 150 years!

Turtles live all over the world — in oceans, freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as on land in forests, deserts, and grasslands. Some turtles even split their time between water and land!

The biggest turtle in the world is the leatherback sea turtle! It can grow as long as a car (over 7 feet) and as heavy as a piano (over 1,500 pounds)! But some turtles are teeny tiny — smaller than your hand, at less than 4 inches long!