Turtles (Ecology series)

Turtles are are in the Animalia family and are classified by a unique cartilaginous shell from their ribs which acts as a effective shield. The earliest known turtles have been around since 200,000,000 years ago making the genius older than snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. Unfortunately, out of the 327 species currently alive many species of turtles are endangered, therefore you should attempt to protect them by participating in conservation organizations. Turtles are amniotes, which means that they do not lay eggs underwater. The difference between tortoise, and terrapin (types of turtles)is that a tortoise is a land chelonians and a terrapin (Algonquian word for turtle) is usually found in brackish waters.

The largest turtles known to exist today is the leather back sea turtle which can heave a length of  about 7 ft weight over 2000 pounds. Unfortunately, many species of Giant Tortoises which used to be around the world in prehistoric times had become extinct at the same time of the appearance of man. However, there are still a few living on the Galapagos island and can grow over 4 ft in length and weight about 700 pounds.


FUN FACTS

* turtles used to not be able to fold their necks in
* it is believed that turtles have excellent night vision due to the a high population of rod cells.
* Turtles used to have teeth which was lost millions of years ago. Now they have horny ridges on their jaws.
*Many studies have shown that turtles are better than white rats at learning to navigate through mazes. Also turtles are social animals and they rarely make screeching/high pitch calls.Studies show that turtles play with each other and enjoy it,
*Turtles have to surface and refill their lungs with oxygen. However, they can take up dissolved oxygen from the water, but only to a certain degree before they have to resurface for air.
*Temperture determine the gender of the turtle. Lower=male, Higher=Female

Prehistoric turtles