turtles

Let's talk about turtles for a moment. Turtles are one of the oldest living animals on Earth, these beauties date all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago! Turtles also have an incredibly long lifespan, according to National Geographic, the oldest turtle ever recorded was named Tu"i Malila and that turtle passed away at the very impressive age of 188! 

Dear turtles, what is your secret for living so long? Sincerely, everyone in the world. It's no secret that turtles are amazing creatures. And it's important to know that these beautiful animals, regardless of how long they CAN live, are also on the endangered list. There are approximately 129 of 300 species of turtle and tortoise on Earth currently. Of those numbers, they are either vulnerable, endangered, or even critically endangered. Why? Loss of habitat, poaching, and illegal pet trade. And while these are the main reasons listed by the IUCN, we're sure all that plastic waste in our oceans isn't helping them out either. 

Let's take care of these incredible old reptiles. And let's begin by celebrating their awesomeness with a meme's list purely dedicated to them! 

Turtles and tortoises are some of the coolest animals on the planet in our opinion. They live for so long, they're so resilient despite being so slow, they're chill and - don't forget - they're so adorable. They look like they're little prehistoric dinosaurs left on the earth from some time in the past, strolling around, watching the world evolve all around them. 

All turtles have that feeling to them, but baby snapping turtles really encapsulate that dinosaur image. On top of that, they might be some of the most adorable turtles we've ever seen. And considering how cute we think all turtles are, that's a real achievement lol.

If you've ever wondered what you should be doing when you retire, this mom has totally figured it out. She spends her winters volunteering at a sea turtle rescue center in south Texas, and a few days ago, she has helped them rescue over 1000 turtles (and counting!). They even rescued a turtle over 100 years old!

We're so amazed by her work and so happy that her daughter decided to share these amazing achievements with everyone on twitter. These tweets went viral, as they should have, and hopefully, they inspired others to do some good too! We wish them many, many more successful rescues. And for all the lovely turtles that they rescued, we hope they have an amazing new life!

Tortoises are cool. That's an inarguable fact. Tiny tortoises, big tortoises, all tortoises are cool as heck. They can live up to 150 years old, and there's even one who has lived up to 255 years. And tortoises basically carry a shield on their backs all day long and are therefore basically invincible. If that's not cool, we don't know what is. 

But have you ever seen a white leopard tortoise? Now, in the hierarchy of tortoise coolness, they possibly take the first spot. Only possibly though, because, as stated previously, all tortoises are the coolest tortoises.

Teeny tiny turtle treat to make your heart skip a beat. 

So small and but so strong, these tiny turtles are guaranteed to put a tremendous smile on your face. And we know that a smile is something that you all need right now. Some positivity to push you through not only to the end of the week but to the end of this long and tiring year.

Really, what more do you need after a year like this besides pictures of something that is purely positive and wholesome and adorable? Something to distract you from all the difficulties of this period and unwind? @TortoisesDaily on twitter has you covered, bringing you turtle goodness every single day.

So, enjoy this tiny collection of tiny turtles, and remember, don't rush, next year can only be better. Slow and steady wins the race. 

20 years ago, the Burmese roofed turtle was presumed extinct, but today, we have some good news! This huge Asian river turtle, whose face seems to be set with a permanent smile, has been saved from extinction by a group of scientists. After accidentally coming across a few of these turtles, these scientists, over the years, have managed to grow the population of these turtles to 1000 and counting, with some of the turtles even released back into the wild.

At least the world still seems to be healing! 

In Greece, there is one area that is the most important nesting site for loggerhead turtles that live in the Mediterranean, and that is the beaches of Zakynthos. And thanks to this global crisis, there has never been such slow tourism as there is this summer. 

One thing we can continuously be grateful for is the animals who now have a window to thrive and lay their eggs in peace. 

Like many other popular tourist places, the beaches of Zakynthos are experiencing a rare moment of calm and that calmness has lead to a peak of the egg-laying season for Loggerhead turtles. 

Head of the Zakynthos program for the protection of loggerhead turtles. Charikleia Minotou, had this to say about the beautiful moment, "This is an opportunity for the turtles to return at their own pace, to fall in love, mate and give birth on the beaches, as dictated by their biology. The long-term impact of the current conditions, however, will only become apparent over time."

She also added that she hopes these two months of peace for the turtles don't "end up being a footnote in the story of the loggerhead turtles on the island."

We certainly hope so, too! 

Story via Telegraph

Tortoises can be pretty adorable themselves, but add one of these cozies, and it's something else. 

Just remember that if you do buy or knit one of these by yourself, make sure you don't leave it on indefinitely, especially not on hot days or near a heat source.  

Tortoises absorb UVB through the skin on their legs and head, so as long as they don't wear a cozy all the time, it won't hurt the tortoise to have a stroll in the yard dressed as a dinosaur, a pig, a shark, or a cheeseburger.

World Turtle Day, celebrated every year on May 23rd, is dedicated to those noble reptiles and their place in the world and encourages people to take action to help protect both the common pet turtle and the ever endangered sea turtle. 

We are all for it! 

This town in Wisconsin is doing everything to help its turtle population! 

We don't often think about the dangers that turtles have to go through on a day-to-day basis but if they live near the highway, those dangers are very real. Perhaps that is why the Wisconsin Department of Transportation got together with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and came up with this innovative idea. Story via: Wisconsin Public Radio

Some turtles are carnivores, while others follow a strictly vegetarian diet. Most turtles, however, are omnivores, eating both animals and plants. Take a look at these turtles eating fruits. 

They have a problem with the plastic because of their anti-barfing spikes. Settle in, folks! Here is a short and helpful explanation on the unique structure of a sea turtles esophagus:

You almost wish this headline was just click-bait. But unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you see it), this actually happened. A routine traffic stop turned bizarre is this week's Florida headline. A couple was pulled over in May after running a stop sign, and deputies asked them what they had been doing, and they responded searching for frogs and snakes to collect. The deputies asked them if they had any other creatures in the truck, and that is when things took a turn for the weird.The woman had over 40 turtles in a Ninja Turtles backpack, which was definitely an eye-opener. But that is not what shocked the officers. 

The woman in the truck, Ariel Le Quire, after being asked if she had anything else, promptly pulled a foot-long alligator from the yoga pants she was wearing, and placed it in the bed of the pickup truck. The pair were cited and a judge found little humor in her stunt. sentencing Le Quire to 6 months probation, 200 hours of community service, and required her to pay $500 to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This was all for charges of possessing an American Alligator, transporting more than one turtle or turtle egg, one count of possessing a soft-shell turtle, and one count of possessing more than one turtle, per day. 

The woman was also homeless at the time, so it is uncertain how the court expects her to pay the fine. But internet ridicule is sometimes a better teacher than any monetary penance could be.

Turtles are amazing animals. They can be traced back to the time of dinosaurs, they usually live around 70 years (tortoises reach around 150 or more years), and they're super cute. Sadly, as human development reaches the quietest of beaches, some turtle hatchlings are having trouble finding the ocean because of the confusing lights. But it's not all bad news! As well as being the problem (sorry turtles), we can also be the solution. Keep on reading to learn how you can help your little flippered friends live to be wise old creatures.