Did you know there are 57 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles found in the United States, which is approximately 18% of the world’s turtle species? Many are located right here in the southeast!
Here are five fast facts to appreciate turtles:
1) Turtles live all around the world on land, in freshwater and saltwater, and on every continent except Antarctica!
2) A turtle’s shell is a modified ribcage! The shell is covered with plates called scutes, which are made of keratin, the same material that makes up humans’ fingernails.
3) Turtles keep many ecosystems healthy and biodiverse as a predator and sometimes even as prey.
4) The temperature the eggs experience as they develop affects whether the turtle will hatch as a male or female.
5) You can help turtles by helping to ensure they cross roadways safely in the same direction they were heading.
