One of the Earth’s oldest creatures, turtles have existed and thrived since the late Triassic period, with their species remaining nearly unchanged since the beginning of their existence, dating back more than 250 million years ago. Species of land turtles primarily exist on land, with their ancestors living among the dinosaurs. Below are 5 different species of land turtles and their associated characteristics.
1. Box Turtle
Exclusive to North America, box turtles are frequently kept as pets and can be broken down into 4 subspecies: Florida box turtle, Gulf Coast box turtle, Three-toed box turtle and the Eastern box turtle. They’re characterized by a dome-shaped shell, and when frightened, their ability to retract their head, tail and limbs into their shell, clamping it shut to keep predators at bay.
2. Desert Tortoise
Another type of land turtle, the desert tortoise, resides in America’s Southwest, with the Sonoran and Mojave Desert being its ideal habitat. Weighing between eight and ten pounds, the desert tortoise spends most of its time burrowed underground, trying to escape the sun’s powerful rays. Impressively, these tortoises can go more than a year without water, as most of their moisture is absorbed through the plants they consume.
3. Gopher Tortoise
Also a desert dweller, the gopher tortoise prefers the sandy dunes of the southeast, where it has learned to become a skilled digger, burrowing up to 50 feet underground! Strictly an herbivore, their diet includes more than one thousand different types of plants.
4. Wood Turtle
A fan of not only plants, wood turtles are omnivores, eating snails, slugs, worms and other insects. Primarily terrestrial, wood turtles live in the Northeast as well as in Canadian Provinces such as Nova Scotia and Ontario.
5. Aldabra Giant Tortoise
One of the largest tortoises in the world, the Aldabra giant tortoise is native to the Seychelles islands located in the Indian Ocean and 200 miles off the coast of Madagascar. Their remote location has kept them safe from humans, allowing 100,000 of them to live peacefully on the islands. Males weigh an average of 560 pounds, while females reach about 330 pounds.
Featured Image from Patti Black/Unsplash
