Turtle Tuesdays: 14 facts you may not know about turtles

Long-living, slow but steady, the freshwater turtle usually wins the race as one of our favourite species. What better time to bone up on turtle facts than WWF’s People and Water Month? Safeguarding Canada’s lakes, streams, rivers and ponds helps protect freshwater habitat for this fascinating species. So test your turtle knowledge!

1)  Turtles can be found on every continent except for Antarctica.

2)  Turtles are almost as old as dinosaurs! The oldest turtle fossil can be dated back 220 million years, meaning it showed up 23 million years after the dinosaurs.

3)  Whether a turtle is born male or female is usually determined by the temperature of the nest they incubate in. More males are produced at cooler temperatures while females are produced at warmer temperatures.

4)  Turtles are a long-lived species. Snapping turtles may live to over 70 years old!

5)  Contrary to popular belief, turtles cannot climb out of the shell! Their shell is part of their skeleton — their ribs, sternum, and spine form part of the shell.

6)  Some turtles are able to fully withdraw into their shells and therefore protect themselves from predators. Others, like snapping turtles, don’t fit completely into their shell and parts of their body are left exposed and at risk to predators.

7)  The Eastern Spiny Softshell turtle is the only species of softshell turtle in Canada. Its shell or carapace is leathery and flexible rather than bony. It is found in a few, very small and isolated populations in Ontario and Quebec.

8)  Freshwater turtles do not reach sexual maturity until they are 8 to 20 years old.

9)  Due to the enormous pressure on turtles from roads, habitat loss, and other threats, like the pet trade, only about one per cent of turtle hatchlings reach sexual maturity.

10)  Exotic turtles from the pet trade are now found living in Canada’s waters. The Red-Eared Slider is a common pet turtle and is commonly released into rivers and ponds once the owner decides they no longer want the responsibility of owning a pet. These exotic turtles can introduce new diseases and out-compete native turtles for habitat and food.

11)  Some turtles – like the Eastern Painted Turtle – have the unique ability to breathe through their back end! These turtles and Australia’s Fitzroy river turtle can breathe through their cloacas (the opening used for excretion, urination, and laying eggs).

12)  Turtles are ectotherms (more commonly known as cold blooded) and are unable to regulate their own body temperature. They must bask in the sunshine to get warmed up, or dive into the water or bury in mud to cool down.

13)  The snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in Canada. Its diet consists of about 90 per cent dead plant and animal matter, so they play an important role keeping lakes and wetlands clean.

14)  Turtles are considered to be the most endangered group of species on the planet! Saving just one individual can make a difference because they live long and take a long time to reach sexual maturity.

Learn more about how helping safeguard Canada’s freshwater can make a difference for turtles and other species.