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Turtles are reptiles.

Turtles have a hard shell that protects them like a shield, this upper shell is called a ‘carapace’.

Turtles also have a lower shell called a ‘plastron’.

Many turtle species (not all) can hide their heads inside their shells when attacked by predators.

Turtles have existed for around 215 million years.

Like other reptiles, turtles are cold blooded.

The largest turtle is the leatherback sea turtle, it can weigh over 900 kg! (2000 lb)
Turtles lay eggs.

In some species of turtle the temperature determines if the egg will develop into a male or female, lower temperatures lead to a male while higher temperatures lead to a female.

Some turtles lay eggs in the sand and leave them to hatch on their own. The young turtles make their way to the top of the sand and scramble to the water while trying to avoid predators.

Sea turtles have special glands which help remove salt from the water they drink.

Many turtle species are endangered.

A tortoise's shell is made up of 60 different bones all connected to each other

The top of a tortoise's shell is called a “carapace”

The underside of the shell is called a “plastron”

The carapace and the plastron of a tortoises shell is connected by what is known as a bridge

Tortoises can retract their heads and all their limbs including their tails into their shells when they feel threatened or attacked by predators

Tortoises have extremely strong mouths but no teeth instead they have horny type beaks

Tortoises have good all round vision and a very good sense of smell

Tortoises are cold-blooded – they draw heat from their environment and are more active during the day than at night

Tortoises can live a very long time, some to the ripe old age of 150. However, the average age a tortoise can live to ranges from 90 to 150 years

Tortoises are what is known as herbivores, they eat grass, ferns, flowers, tree leaves and fruit

Female tortoises are usually larger than their male counterparts.

Females dig burrows in which they can lay up anything from 1 to 30 eggs.

When baby tortoises break out of their shells they're called hatchlings.

Tortoise eggs incubate between 90 to 120 days to hatch out.