A field guide to turtles
Slow, steady, and older than the dinosaurs
Turtles have carried their homes on their backs for more than 200 million years. Meet the species, pick up a few odd facts, and find out how to help one cross the road.
Did you know?
A turtle shell is part of its skeleton: more than 50 bones, including the ribs and backbone. It cannot climb out of it.
By the numbers
360+
species of turtles and tortoises alive today
220 million
years since the first turtles with shells
190+
years old: Jonathan the tortoise, and counting
Quick quiz
A box turtle spends its whole life on land. So is it a turtle or a tortoise?