Turtle Research

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About

Turtles

Turtles first lived at the time of the dinosaurs in the Triassic Period, 250,000,000 years ago. Scientists found fossils of Archelon from the Cretaceous period. The largest was 12 feet long.

There are 260 kinds of turtles!

Tortoise or Turtle or Terrapin?

A tortoise lives on land and doesn’t need water all of the time. A turtle needs to have water close by. A terrapin is a turtle who lives in water that is a little salty.

But they are all CHELONIAN.

CHELONIAN

Tortoise

A tortoise likes to eat grass. He can build a very long tunnel. For the winter, they all gather together in a den. A tortoise can pull in his head and legs when he is scared.

Diamondback Terrapin

 Terrapins like to live in lagoons. They like to eat snails, mollusks, insects, and crabs. People used to eat these terrapins!

Green Sea Turtle

Green turtles live by the beach and like to eat algae from the coral reefs. People love to eat turtle soup from the Green Sea Turtle, and now it is ENDANGERED!

Hawskbill Sea Turtle

This turtle has the most beautiful shell. She eats sea grass, sponge and crabs. People used to make tortoise shell jewelry and ornaments. The Hawksbill is ENDANGERED!

ENDANGERED

Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle

This turtle lives by Nova Scotia in Canada. People like to eat the eggs. This turtle is ENDANGERED!

ENDANGERED

Leatherback Sea Turtle

She lives beside Canada in Nova Scotia and in B.C. She loves to eat jellyfish! She is the biggest of all the Sea Turtles, but she is ENDANGERED!

ENDANGERED

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

He got his name because his head is SO big! He eats sponges, mollusks, crustaceans and sea plants. He lives beside Newfoundland in Canada.

Painted Turtle

This turtle can be found in Ontario and Quebec. He is often kept for a pet. He likes to eat slugs, earthworms, and plants. He lives by ponds and lakes.

Slider Turtles

These are the most common of turtle pets. Murtle is a Red Eye Slider Turtle. They like worms, fish, bugs, chicken, vegetables and plants.

Snapping Turtle

The snapping turtle is not protected very well in his shell. It is too small. So he has learned to bite and snap to help protect himself from enemies. They are the largest freshwater turtle. He can be found in south Alberta all the way to Nova Scotia. He really likes rivers. He eats fish, frogs and birds.

Wood Turtle

Wood turtles like to live by streams in the woods and near meadows. Just like Franklin! They like to eat worms, slugs, snails, insects and plants; just like Franklin! They live in Canada, just like Franklin! They like to trick worms, by thumping the ground, so the worms think it’s raining! When they come up, the wood turtles eat them right up!

Humans Hurt Turtles; We Need to Help!

1.   Keep wild turtles in the wild.

2.  Don’t pollute.

3.  Be very careful with balloons.

4.  Help a turtle cross a road.

5.  Protect our natural habitats.

6.  Tell others about turtles so they can learn.

7. Adopt a turtle to raise money to help the scientists.

Hatching

Turtles hatch from eggs. Mother turtles lay many eggs and bury them in the sand. The sun keeps them warm. When they hatch, the babies run to the water to stay safe. 

The Turtle Body