# Turtle — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Order Testudines — ~360 species of turtles, tortoises and terrapins*

> Turtles (order Testudines) are ~360 species of shelled reptiles — sea turtles, freshwater terrapins and land tortoises — many Vulnerable to Critically Endangered from trade, bycatch and habitat loss.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (many Vulnerable to Critically Endangered)  ·  **WARN range:** Worldwide — oceans, rivers, lakes and land on every continent except Antarctica

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Species | ~360 testudines worldwide |
| Groups | Sea turtles, terrapins, tortoises |
| Related guide | Sea turtle (marine species) |
| Shell | Fused to spine and ribs — part of skeleton |
| Main threats | Bycatch, trade, habitat loss, plastic |
| CITES | Appendix I for most sea turtles |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Testudines

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Roughly half of turtle species threatened; most sea turtles Endangered or Vulnerable.
- **Population:** Varies — leatherback ~34,000 nesting females globally (declining)
- **Trend:** Decreasing for many species; local recoveries where protected
- **Assessed:** Varies by species
- **CITES:** Appendix I for most sea turtles; Appendix II for some tortoises

## Key facts: Turtle
- Turtles include sea turtles, freshwater terrapins and land tortoises — one order, Testudines.
- The shell is part of the skeleton — not a removable coat.
- Sea turtles migrate thousands of kilometres between feeding and nesting beaches.
- WARN's sea turtle guide covers marine species; this hub covers all turtles.
- Plastic pollution, bycatch and egg poaching threaten sea turtles globally.
- Galápagos giant tortoises can live over 150 years.

## Sea turtles, terrapins and tortoises
All turtles share a shelled body plan but occupy different worlds. Sea turtles — green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill and others — have flipper-like limbs and salt glands. Freshwater terrapins and river turtles inhabit ponds, rivers and wetlands on every continent except Antarctica. Tortoises are land specialists with domed shells and columnar legs — Galápagos giants among the longest-lived vertebrates.

Temperature during egg incubation determines sex in many species — a climate change concern as beaches warm and produce female-biased broods. Nesting females return to the same beaches where they hatched, making beach protection critical.

WARN publishes a dedicated sea turtle wildlife guide; this page orients readers searching 'turtle' before they choose marine or freshwater detail.

## Life history and migration
Sea turtle hatchlings scramble to the sea at night, guided by light horizons — artificial lighting on developed coasts disorients them. Decades later, mature females haul onto beaches to lay eggs in excavated nests. Leatherbacks dive deeper than 1,000 metres; green turtles graze seagrass meadows that store carbon.

Freshwater turtles bask on logs, omnivorously scavenging and controlling aquatic vegetation. Many hibernate in mud through winter. Tortoises graze arid land vegetation, storing water in bladders during drought.

Slow maturity — 20 to 30 years in some sea turtles — means populations recover slowly from mortality spikes.

## Threats and conservation
Roughly half of turtle species are threatened on the IUCN Red List. Sea turtles face bycatch in shrimp trawls and longlines, plastic ingestion mistaking bags for jellyfish, egg poaching on nesting beaches and fibropapillomatosis disease linked to pollution. Freshwater turtles are eaten and traded as pets; tortoises are collected for illegal wildlife markets — radiated tortoise of Madagascar is Critically Endangered.

Marine protected areas, turtle excluder devices on nets, dark-beach lighting ordinances and community nest protection programmes show measurable recovery — green turtle populations increased in some regions after decades of work.

CITES Appendix I covers most sea turtles and many freshwater species.

## Turtles and people
Turtles appear in mythology worldwide — carrying the world on their backs, symbolising longevity. Today they need dark nesting beaches, clean oceans and enforced trade bans. Supporting WARN's sea turtle appeal funds nest protection and bycatch reduction where partners operate.

Never buy tortoiseshell products — hawksbill shell trade remains illegal and drives poaching.

## Related WARN turtle guides
This hub introduces all turtles. WARN's sea turtle guide covers green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill and olive ridley species in marine detail — migration, nesting, bycatch and nest protection.

Komodo dragon and snake guides address other reptile groups. For freshwater European species, regional herpetology resources complement this global overview.

## What WARN does
WARN funds sea turtle nest protection and bycatch reduction through partner programmes. This turtle hub is free education explaining why shelled reptiles need clean oceans, dark beaches and enforced trade bans.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Turtle
### How many turtle species are there?
Roughly 360 species in order Testudines — sea turtles, freshwater terrapins and land tortoises combined.

### What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
Tortoises live on land with domed shells and stumpy feet. 'Turtle' often means sea or freshwater species in everyday speech. Scientifically all are testudines.

### Are sea turtles endangered?
Most sea turtle species are Endangered or Vulnerable. Leatherbacks and hawksbills face severe pressure from bycatch and trade. Green turtles recover where beaches are protected.

### How long do turtles live?
Many tortoises live 80–150 years. Sea turtles may live 50–80 years. Slow maturity delays population recovery.

### Why do sea turtles eat plastic?
Floating plastic bags resemble jellyfish — a common prey item. Ingestion causes blockages, starvation and death.

### Where is WARN's sea turtle guide?
At /wildlife-guides/sea-turtle — full detail on marine species, threats and conservation.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Testudines](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)
- [Sea Turtle Conservancy](https://conserveturtles.org/)
- [CITES — Checklist of CITES Species](https://checklist.cites.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/turtle