World Turtle Day

What is World Turtle Day? 

World Turtle Day celebrates turtles and tortoises around the world. It’s a chance for everyone to discover more about these complex and dignified animals.

When is World Turtle Day celebrated?

World Turtle Day was created in 2000 and is celebrated every year on May 23rd.

Why do we celebrate World Turtle Day?

World Turtle Day was created by American Tortoise Rescue to highlight the plight of turtles and tortoises both in the wild and in captivity.

7 facts about turtles

1. All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. A tortoise is a turtle that only lives on land while other turtles live mainly in rivers or the sea.
2. Turtles navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field and return to the beach they hatched on to nest their own young.
3. When travelling between their coastal feeding grounds and their nesting sites on beaches, turtles transport much-needed nutrients that help these ecosystems flourish. 
4. Turtle shells are made of 50 different bones that have fused together. Their popularity as jewellery and collectable items has threatened turtles’ survival since the 18th century.
5. There are seven species of marine turtles; hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, olive ridley, green, flatback, and Kemp's ridley. Six of these seven species are at risk of extinction.
6. Turtles are highly sociable animals that travel across vast territories in large groups. This is just one reason why they don’t make good pets.
7. The illegal wildlife trade, the use of turtles in traditional medicine, and by-catch are the most significant threats to turtles in modern times.

How humans threaten turtles’ survival 

Turtles are at risk of extinction, especially marine turtles. They are increasingly losing out to human activity and their numbers are slow to recover.

Fewer hatchlings reach adulthood

Turtle hatchlings face extreme hazards with estimates suggesting that only between 1 in 1000 or 1 in 10,000 hatchlings reach adulthood. These hatchlings have always faced predators in their early days of life but human activity is reducing their survival rates even further.

By-catch and ocean population

Adult turtles are also at risk. They can be accidentally caught in fishing gear or even in the increasing level of plastic waste finding its way into the oceans. 

Exotic pet trade

As well as turtles being harmed accidentally, there is a huge illegal trade in turtles. They are sought-after for their meat, eggs, and shells or as ‘exotic pets’.

Join our fight against the exploitation and commodification of wild animals. Can you lend your voice? 

FAQs and facts about turtles

Whether you’re celebrating World Turtle Day or just want to know more about these incredible reptiles, take a look at these interesting facts about turtles.

Are turtles reptiles?

Yes. Turtles are a type of reptile that is encased in a bony shell.

Can turtles breathe underwater?

Even sea turtles can’t breathe underwater. They need to return to the surface to breathe, which is why they can drown if they become entangled in fishing gear or plastic waste.

Can turtles live on land?

Some turtles live entirely on land while others are primarily aquatic. Turtles who live in water may be unable to eat on land.

Why are turtles endangered?

Turtles are endangered because of human activity. They are hunted for their eggs, shells, and meat, or are unintentionally caught in fishing nets and waste plastics.

How long do turtles live?

A sea turtle’s lifespan in the wild ranges from 50 to 100 years.

How many species of sea turtles are there?

There are seven types of sea turtles, including the leatherback, loggerhead, green sea, olive ridley, Kemp’s ridley, hawksbill, and flatback turtle.

What do sea turtles eat?

Sea turtles are omnivores, eating fish eggs, algae, seaweed, shrimp, corals, sea cucumbers, crustaceans, jellyfish, and molluscs.

What do turtles eat?

All types of turtles eat plants, including grasses, leaves, fruits, and seaweed. They also eat slow-moving animals like molluscs, worms, and insect larvae.

How many times do turtles eat a day?

Juvenile turtles feed more often than adults, as adults can go a day or two between meals.

How many turtles die from plastic every day?

Researchers estimate that 52% of sea turtles worldwide have eaten plastic debris - and they believe that, based on beach strandings, more than 1,000 turtles are dying every year due to entanglement.

World Sea Turtle Day is a chance to highlight the impact of plastic on our oceans, sea turtles, and other wildlife.

How long can a sea turtle hold its breath?

While active, a sea turtle can only hold its breath for a couple of minutes. However, when resting, they can remain underwater for as long as two hours.

How many teeth do turtles have?

Turtles don’t have teeth. Instead, they have a sharp beak that allows them to cut vegetation and prey into bite-sized pieces.

How big can ocean turtles grow?

Sea turtle size varies depending on species. The leatherback turtle is the largest ocean turtle, measuring up to 2.4 metres and weighing more than 900 kg.

What are turtle habitats?

Turtle habitat covers the planet. The flatback sea turtle lives in the waters surrounding Australia, while all other sea turtles can be found in every ocean on Earth, apart from the Arctic and Antarctic.

Are sea turtles endangered?

Sea turtle species are classed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.

They are threatened by the illegal turtle trade, where turtles are hunted for their shells. Other threats include habitat destruction, sea turtle farming, climate change, pollution, and entanglement in fishing gear.