These amazing turtles. An ancient legend about the origin of turtles

Turtles live on the Black Sea coast of Russia, which theoretically could see Russian tsars relaxing in resorts. Will these reptiles even see the near future?

Ancient dinosaurs - turtles

Text and photos: Mark Pestov, National Geographic

It also means he remembered me. The trader knew that when, in 2010, at the central market of Novorossiysk, employees of Rosprirodnadzor confiscated nine young turtles from him, this was done at our suggestion.

“We” are the participants of the project launched in 2006 with the support of International Foundation Animal Welfare (IFAW), the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and the American Rufford Foundation (RSGF). Project "Attention, turtle!" dedicated to the conservation of the Mediterranean tortoise Testudo graeca, which is found in North Africa, Southern Europe, Southwest Asia and the Caucasus - but with Black Sea coast The Caucasian view is now rapidly disappearing.

Turtles are the oldest living reptiles. They appeared about 200 million years ago - much earlier than dinosaurs. Moreover, the turtles managed to survive the catastrophe of the Mesozoic, which supposedly killed the oldest pangolins about 65 million years ago, and survive to this day, almost unchanged. They are potential centenarians, scientists reliably know the gigantic tortoise that lived 152 years, and the Mediterranean tortoise that lived 125 years. However, in front of a man, turtles, which seemed to be so well protected from any dangers, turned out to be defenseless. Today, many species of turtles are listed in the Red Books. various levels- from regional to international.

There are about 250 species of turtles in the world, 40 of them are terrestrial. Among the largest land turtles are the Galapagos elephant and giant turtles. The height of these giants in meter-long shells is 60 centimeters, they weigh more than 100 kilograms, and individual giants - and all 400 kilos.

At the other end of the scale is the Western Madagascar spider turtle, one of the rarest and most small species: this baby weighs only 100 grams, and does not exceed 10 centimeters in length.

Only four species of turtles are found in Russia (another three species of sea turtles occasionally swim into our territorial waters). Of these four species, only one is terrestrial - the same Mediterranean tortoise Testudo graeca. It is included in the international list of protected species, in the list of the CITES Convention and in the Red Book. Russian Federation in category "1". Its number is steadily declining, and individual populations are on the verge of extinction.

Utrish is home. Among these populations are Mediterranean tortoises, identified by experts as an independent subspecies - Nikolsky's tortoise. The Nikolsky turtles chose a good place to live - the foothills of the Western Caucasus in the Krasnodar Territory, as well as Abkhazia. It is clear that there are many other hunters before these resort places - so the range of Nikolsky turtles is constantly fragmented, habitats are destroyed, and the turtles themselves are actively caught for illegal sale.

Turtles with weak shells often fall prey to dogs and pigs, die under the wheels of cars. Or, for example, in Gelendzhik, after a televised appeal to local residents, we were contacted by teachers from the center for out-of-school education. They gave us two adult Mediterranean tortoises and told us that they had taken them from the boys on the outskirts of the city. They made a fire, and the turtles, turned upside down, lay nearby in anticipation of their sad fate. It seems that the young "naturalists" wanted to check whether the shell would protect animals from fire. We released these two turtles, but the goal of our project, of course, is wider - to save the subspecies.

The territory of the Abrau peninsula, located between Anapa and Novorossiysk, is not just picturesque - it is biologically unique. Here, as well as on the southern slope of the Markotkh Range between Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik, real subtropics of the Northern Mediterranean have been preserved. In 2010, the Utrish reserve was created to protect them.

Unfortunately, at the same time, the Markoth Range itself did not receive the status of a specially protected area. natural area, and 120 hectares of the sea coast and water area in the lagoon area were excluded from the reserve on the Abrau Peninsula, which in 2008 were leased out for a long-term lease. Also, the reserve did not include two "corridors", future roads to the lagoons, which will cut through the protected area.

The reserve is the main place of residence for the Nikolsky tortoise. 5-6 thousand individuals - this is 20-30 percent of the entire subspecies - could call "Utrish" their home. The ratio of females and males here is close to the ideal 1:1. In 2011-2012, together with the staff of the reserve, we began a detailed study of this population.

How to save turtles. May, noon, hot… For about an hour now I have been wandering on the top of the hill, on which my colleagues have marked about 20 turtles in previous years. However, so far I have not met any, which is not surprising - most of the hill is covered with dense thickets of blackberries, it is rather difficult to detect a secretive turtle in them ...

Suddenly, an unusual sound is heard in the forest. I hear several distinct knocks, as if someone is lightly knocking on wood at intervals of two or three seconds. After a short break, the sound resumed, clearly coming from the brambles. I myself had never heard anything like this before, but in the literature I met a similar description. Having found a path in the thicket laid by cows and not yet completely overgrown with thorns, I make my way along it - and I find a small clearing, which was chosen by two large turtles. The male pursues the female and periodically knocks with the front edge of his shell on the shell of the chosen one, forcing her to crawl out from under the bush into an open place. Rare luck!

Having studied the Utrish population, we prepared recommendations for the protection of turtles. The most important of them is to prevent hard roads from cutting through the territory of the reserve, and also to attach to it the lagoon area, which is important not only for turtles, but also for the preservation of the local unique natural complex generally.

The specificity of the life strategy of turtles is such that a huge number of cubs die in infancy: they can be devoured by anyone - a crow, a rat, a raccoon, a dog, a pig ... A turtle nursery could become a way out: here you can protect the kids, and then return them into the wild. Similar nurseries exist in many countries - in Italy, Spain, Turkey - and have already proven themselves as guarantors of survival. rare species turtles. In 2009, we managed to create a rehabilitation center for Mediterranean tortoises seized from illegal sale or transferred by local residents in the Safari Park of Gelendzhik.

Testudo graeca is often found here on busy highways, territories of new buildings and unauthorized dumps - the city continues to invade the original habitats of animals ... The place for the rehabilitation center was chosen appropriate, primarily because the territory of the "Safari Park" is inhabited by a natural and completely viable turtle population. Three spacious enclosures have already been built, which contain two dozen adult Mediterranean tortoises.

In 2012, a very important event took place for us: for the first time, baby turtles were born to the inhabitants of the enclosure. And this means that over time, the rehabilitation center has every chance of turning into a full-fledged nursery, and the young turtles grown in it can be released into the wild, supporting the existence of fading populations ...

Turtles are one of the oldest breeds of reptiles that began to exist approximately 220 million years ago. They live both in the sea and on land, and they have bony shells that have evolved to protect them from predators. There are about 300 various kinds turtles come in all shapes and sizes, but some are a little more unique than others…

spiny turtle

The spiny turtle - Heosemys spinosa - has an amazing shell and lives in Southeast Asia. Like many other tortoise species, the spiny tortoise is hunted for food and therefore, and because of habitat destruction, its numbers have plummeted in recent times.

The shell of a tortoise is tooth-shaped with spikes on the edge. In young individuals, the spines are very sharp, but with age they become more rounded. The spikes deter predators from attacking the young turtles, and they also act as camouflage, disguising the turtle as fallen leaves. The brown color also helps mimic the leaves.

Chinese softshell turtle

The Chinese softshell turtle excretes urine through its mouth. This is a strange process that has not been observed before in any other animal. This unique ability has helped the turtle survive in salt water, as it does not lose much fluid from its body and does not need to constantly replenish it. If she swallows too much salt water, she will get poisoned. Instead, urine exits through the mouth, which is then rinsed with water. Only six percent of the urine produced by a turtle exits through the kidneys.

Like most turtles, the Chinese tortoise is a delicacy in many parts of Asia. There are over 1,500 turtle farms in China that sell over 90 million turtles a year. Due to its high culinary demand, this species of turtle is now listed as endangered. These turtles live in China, Japan, Taiwan, North Vietnam and eastern Russia. They have also been introduced to other areas such as Malaysia, Hawaii, and even California.

Mary river turtle

The Mary river turtle lives exclusively in the Mary River in Queensland, Australia. Its color can be red, pink, brown or black. Its head is small, and its tail is long compared to its entire body, it can grow almost to the length of the carapace. Under the chin, there are long protrusions called antennae. Female Meri turtles reach maturity within 25 years, males - 30, which is a very long period for turtles.

The turtle often emerges from the water to breathe, but it can also get oxygen in the water. Oxygen enters her body through the organs located in her tail. The turtle spends most of its life in the river, allowing algae to grow on its body. She uses seaweed as a disguise. In the picture, the algae on the turtle's head looks like hair, earning it the nickname "Punk Rocker Turtle".

Spiny softshell turtle

The spiny softshell turtle is found in the United States, Canada, and northern Mexico. She has a unique appearance, a round head and a flat, round carapace covered with black spots. These spots are pronounced in young turtles, but they disappear with age. The tortoise has a long thin nose and knob-like protrusions in front of the shell.

Sex difference the offspring of the spiny soft-shell turtle are genetically determined. In most other turtle species, sex depends on the temperature of the sand in which the eggs were laid.

Eastern long neck turtle

Found in the lakes of Australia, the eastern long-necked tortoise has an extremely long neck compared to other species, it can grow to the length of the shell. The neck is so long that the turtle has to pull it into the shell instead of sticking it out. This species is also known as the "snake-necked turtle" because the head and neck resemble a snake. She also has a similar way of hunting, quickly straightening her neck, she hits the prey.

If there is any threat, the turtle secretes a foul-smelling liquid from its glands. The radius of action of these secretions is about a meter (three feet), so all animals that are nearby are fleeing. Turtles spend most of their lives on land.

knobbly humpback turtle

The knobby humpback turtle - Graptemys nigrinoda - is a small water turtle that lives in the freshwater rivers of the Mississippi and Alabama. The most characteristic feature of this turtle is not a large number of spines on the shell, which become less pronounced in adult turtles. The lower part of the shell is covered with beautiful patterns, they are usually light gray or blue. The turtle's diet consists mainly of insects, which it gathers from the surface of the river.

Big-headed turtle

The big-headed turtle lives in Southeast Asia. characteristic feature of this species is (you guessed it) a huge head. She has a smooth sloping brown shell. Unlike other turtle species, it cannot retract its head into its shell, so it has a bony "helmet" to protect its exposed head. The turtle often uses its powerful jaws to protect itself from threats.

The loggerhead tortoise often climbs trees and hills, using its large beak, claws, and muscular tail to grab objects. They have become an endangered species due to overhunting. Turtles are commonly eaten in Asia and are also caught and sold.

"Turtle with Piglet"

The piglet turtle is native to Guinea and Australia. It is the only freshwater turtle that has flippers like sea turtles, but is the most visible hallmark is a nose resembling a pig's snout. The nose can act as a breathing tube, protruding above the surface of the water. It is also quite sensitive to movement and is used to locate prey in murky waters.

Unfortunately, total strength Piglet turtles have almost halved over the past 50 years due to smuggling: they are caught in large quantities for the exotic pet trade. Turtle populations are in sharp decline on the island of New Guinea, where they are also harvested for meat. This type of turtle is the last famous view two-claw families. Fortunately, Australia and Indonesia are taking action to save this species.

Red-bellied short-necked tortoise

The red-bellied short-necked turtle - Emydura subglobosa - lives in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Their shell is orange around the edges and on the underside of the shell (much brighter in young turtles). The color fades as they get older, but the orange markings can be clearly seen in an adult turtle.

These turtles spend most of their lives in the water, only coming out to nest or bask. When she basks in the sun, she can make angled movements that make her cry, run down her face and into her mouth, which she opens and closes (much like a dog does when it's thirsty).

African pelomedusa

African pelomedusa lives on the African continent and is widespread from Ghana to Cape Town. This tortoise is also found in Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula. The tortoise produces a strong odor from four glands located on the limbs, which is unbearable to horses and humans. When females lay their eggs, they choose a spot and urinate into it to soften the surface of the ground, making it easier for them to dig.

The feeding behavior of the African pelomedusa is also notable. They hunt large prey - pigeons, snakes, other turtles - in groups. This is the only turtle species that hunts in packs.

Indian tortoise

The Indian lobed turtle - Lissemys punctata - has dermal lobes under its shell that hide its limbs when they are retracted. It is not known exactly how the blades protect the turtle from predators. This species is found in the rivers, lakes and swamps of southern Asia.

To master the open spaces of the sea, probably, several different families of insipid aquatic turtles. Some have succeeded. In the middle jurassic the first freshwater turtles appeared. All older turtles were apparently terrestrial. At the end of the Jurassic period, some freshwater turtles made an attempt to go to sea. Initially, they inhabited the coastal zone, their limbs have not yet been transformed into flippers. The first group of coastal sea turtles (Plesiochelyoidea) became extinct at the beginning of the Cretaceous. At about the same time, real sea turtles with flippers appeared - protostegids (Protostegidae). They survived until the end of the Cretaceous and died out along with the dinosaurs.

Protostegid were the only sea turtles for almost the entire Cretaceous period. Representatives of other groups that have survived to this day (Cheloniidae, Dermochelyidae) appeared 40–50 million years later. At this point, the protostegiids were dominant and cosmopolitan, while the cheloniids and dermoheliids were probably limited to coastal areas or inland seas. Apparently, they went to sea independently of the protostegid and were the third or even fourth attempt at the development of the seas by turtles.

The evolution of protostegid lasted tens of millions of years, during which they populated the seas of Europe, the USA, and Russia. These turtles have chosen a fairly common environmental strategy; over time, they increased in size, became gigantic in order to feel safe. It was the protostegids who gave birth to the most gigantic turtle in the history of the Earth - the famous archelon. Many books have old picture the skeleton of this turtle, where a man stands nearby. In fact, the photo is a bit confusing: the man in the photo, paleontologist George Wieland, was very short. Archelon was not as gigantic as one might think from the picture. But still, its dimensions are colossal: the span of the front flippers was four and a half meters.

The most ancient representative of the protostegid is considered to be a reptile from the Early Cretaceous, Barremian-Aptian deposits of Colombia - a large tortoise Desmatochelys padillai with a skull about 30 cm long and a meter long carapace. The skull of another ancient protostegida was found by fossil collectors about ten years ago in the Ulyanovsk region. They say she had a beak "like a parrot." The skull was transferred to Moscow for study, but it has not yet been described. According to senior researcher I. G. Danilov, the skull, judging by the photographs, also belonged to a turtle of the type Desmatochelys.

Based on materials from Russia, only one species of the Mesozoic sea turtle has been described so far. The history of its study is curious. In the mid-1980s, biology students from Leningrad State University went on a summer internship to the Les na Vorskla Nature Reserve in the Belgorod Region, where they studied the forest ecosystem and collected herbariums and insects. The leader L. A. Nessov decided to combine business with pleasure and took them to additional paleontological practice. Not far from the reserve are located Lebedinsky and Stoilensky quarries, where iron ore, along the way revealing layers of sandstones of Cretaceous age (Albian-Cenomanian), and sandstones are rich in the remains of marine animals. The students were lucky to find several interesting specimens, including the country's first protostegid bones: a piece mandible and bones of the plastron, which are characteristic of protostegid, have a stellate shape. Nessov described the remains as the new kind- Russian teguliskafa ( Teguliscapha rossica). It was an early representative of the protostegid, still small: about half a meter in length. Its description was published in the non-trivial collection "Comprehensive studies of biogeocenoses of forest-steppe oak forests" in 1986. As a result, the publication went unnoticed and fell out of sight of most paleontologists for thirty years.

Then the finds ceased, and only recently on the territory of Russia were new remains of sea - and already giant - turtles of the late Cretaceous period found. The most important finds were made in the spring-autumn of 2017. Excavations were carried out in the steppe ravines on the border of the Saratov and Volgograd regions, in the "beach deposits" of the Cretaceous period (see picture of the day Mosasaurus of the Volga region). For almost a whole day, the students of the Saratov State Technical University, taken as labor force, were digging in vain. There were no finds, although inexperienced excavators mistook each sandstone nodule for dinosaur bones. Finally, one young man successfully dug the sand with a shovel and turned out a stone the size of a squash. At first, it was mistaken for sandstone, but the stone successfully split in the middle, and a spongy bone structure of a reddish color appeared on the chip. The find turned out to be half of a turtle's humerus. An hour later, another student dug up an unusual spatula. Both bones were soon identified. They belonged to the protostegid, though undetermined to the genus. Their more precise systematic position is currently being specified.

That same summer, several more turtle bones were found in the beams. One plate of the shell turned out to be with bite marks: someone tried to eat the turtle and, perhaps, successfully.

The Saratov protostegids were of a very respectable size. From the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, their length exceeded two meters. There are no traces of horny furrows (scutes) on the bone plates - apparently, the shells of the Volga protostegid were already covered with soft skin, although, perhaps, the traces simply were not imprinted.

It is difficult to judge the diet of extinct turtles. Most turtles have no teeth, and their jaws are covered with horny sheaths. Unfortunately, horn sheaths are not preserved in the geological record, and bone structures only partially reflect their structure. It is likely that the protostegid ate like today's sea turtles and occupied a rather unusual ecological niche. Modern sea turtles eat anything but fish, because they cannot catch it: they have a too large head and clumsy neck. Unlike sea turtles, freshwater turtles are omnivorous, and some are sharpened specifically for catching fish. Modern sea turtles feed on algae and mollusks. The leatherback turtle preys on clumsy jellyfish. Protostegids probably fed mainly on mollusks - ammonites and oysters.

However, among the extinct sea turtles there were also extremely unusual forms. For example, ocepechelon ( Ocepechelon) from Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Morocco. She has a giant skull - 70 centimeters long. Apart from the skull, nothing has been preserved. upper jaw turtles (the bottom one was not found) forms a massive tube about 6 centimeters in diameter. The turtle probably sucked fry and krill through it. Perhaps, "vacuum cleaner" prey in dense thickets of algae or among corals. Judging by the skull, she had strong jaw muscles to create a powerful suction thrust.

The locomotion of ancient turtles is also judged mainly by analogy with modern ones, which swim using the “underwater flight” technique: “eights” are written out with the front flippers, like owls, and the rear flippers are used as a steering wheel. Perhaps the protostegids also swam like that. It is possible to calculate and clarify biomechanics, since complete skeletons of protostegids are known, but no one has done this yet.

The Saratov protostegids turned out to be close to the American sea turtles and became another confirmation of the hypothesis that the extinct Mesozoic reptiles, like modern cetaceans, easily crossed the expanses of the World Ocean. Similar genera settled throughout the planet, and the species diversity of sea turtles as a whole was insignificant.

Illustration © Andrey Atuchin.

Anton Nelikhov

ancient turtles
About 200 million years ago, during the Triassic period, the ancestors of modern turtles lived on Earth side by side with dinosaurs. turtle species Triassochelys, who lived during this period, was really similar to modern turtles, she grew to at least 90 cm, but unlike our turtles, she had teeth. Later, 70 million years ago, and the seas of the Cretaceous were found giant turtles, larger than any of the modern ones, which reached a length of 3.3 m, and their diameter at the widest point was 3.6 m!

The oldest turtle

was found in the northeastern part of Brazil. The twenty-centimeter sea turtle lived about 110 million years ago - it is ten million years older than all previously known representatives of this group.

Common with birds, although closer to crocodiles

Turtles have something in common with birds, but in the reptile group they are closer to crocodiles than to snakes or lizards. Their jaws are devoid of teeth, although some species of turtles are voracious predators and they lay eggs like birds, but their shells contain less calcium than those of bird eggs.

Two hundred varieties

Today, among the turtles, there are two hundred varieties that are common in the warm regions of the planet.

Fast and slow

Freshwater turtles move quickly and dexterously both in water and on land. Sea on land look awkward, but in the water their movements in beauty and lightness can be compared with the flight of birds. Only land species are slow. Land turtles actively move only when there is enough high temperature when the processes in their body will go at a normal speed.

But on the islands of Fiji, the turtle is considered a symbol of speed and higher navigational abilities. She is depicted on the official letterhead of the Maritime Department. Only these are not land, but sea turtles. They also include Ridley (Lepidochelys).

Can hold their breath underwater for up to 10 hours

Sea turtles can hold their breath underwater for up to 10 hours and 14 minutes. This is an absolute record among vertebrates existing on Earth. The previous achievement, also set by sea turtles, was much more modest - 7 hours 25 minutes. This conclusion was reached as a result of painstaking research, which was conducted over five years. During this period, scientists established observations in the waters mediterranean sea for the behavior of 10 green and 10 loggerhead turtles.

Excellent hearing, vision and smell

Charles Darwin, who claimed that turtles are deaf, was wrong. Recent electrophysiological studies of turtle hearing have shown that turtles have excellent hearing, especially low sounds. Aquatic turtles have hearing almost as sensitive as cats. There are stories that sea turtles came out of the water for a long mournful singing.

Turtles have good sharp eyesight (at least at close range), perceive almost the entire spectrum of colors (including the one that we see, and even more). respond well to bright colors- white, red, yellow. But they do not pay any attention to the blue, blue and purple tones.

In turtles, the sense of smell plays an important role; with the help of it, turtles not only find food, but also communicate with their relatives, and even navigate the territories.

Rely on sense of smell and hearing

Aquatic reptiles (crocodiles, alligators, turtles) rely more on senses such as smell and hearing when tracking prey, finding a mate, or detecting an approaching enemy. Their vision plays a secondary role and acts only at close range, visual images are vague, and there is no ability to focus on stationary objects for a long time.

smart turtles

Scientists conducted an experiment: they put a feeder in front of different animals, and then moved it along a special rail and suddenly lowered the screen. The animals had to figure out where the food had gone. It didn't work out for everyone. Pigeons and voles failed. Rabbits, deprived of food, jumped without knowing where. The chickens were looking for the grains they had just pecked where they had disappeared. The ducks, looking for food, tried to get to it through a wooden partition, not realizing that this was impossible. But the turtles walked along the screen, went behind it and calmly continued breakfast.

turtle shell

The shell, which covers the entire body of the turtle, with the exception of the head, paws and tail, distinguishes it from all vertebrates. The upper part of the shell, called the shield or carapace, is usually domed in land turtles and flatter in turtles that live mainly in water to reduce water pressure. The shield on the sides of the body is connected to the lower part of the shell, the plastron.
consists of bone, on top of its scutes are covered with horny plates. For fixation, the ribs, vertebrae, pelvic and shoulder girdle are fused with the shell. The holes in the shell are arranged so that the limbs are easily retracted.

shell shape

Appearance shells depends on environment. The shape of the shell - an amazing invention of nature for the passive protection of turtles - depends on the lifestyle of these animals. The carapace of land tortoises is usually high, domed, often uneven, individual scutes can be in the form of small domes, pyramids. Carapace turtles living in denser than air, aquatic environment, as a rule, flattened, smooth, streamlined, its dome is small. Sea turtles have gone even further in adapting to the aquatic environment, their shell is teardrop-shaped, the most perfect form for achieving high speed in the water.

The jaws of turtles do not have teeth, but are equipped with powerful horny edges. The outer blade of these edges is quite sharp, and the musculature of the jaws is very strong. Turtles easily bite off pieces of even dense plant tissues, deftly grab moving prey. Forelegs with strong claws make it possible to hold plants and caught animals while eating, and if necessary, their dismemberment into easily swallowed pieces successfully copes with this procedure.

In water, they are flat and flattened; in land, they are denser and thicker. In the same species of turtles in different conditions there may be a different structure of the shells. The shell can be massive, low, light, narrow, miniature, saddle-shaped. Their shape depends on the habitat - the result of adaptation.

The largest sea turtles

Sea turtles are the largest of all turtles. Real giants in the world of reptiles! An adult turtle can even handle a shark.

The fastest among reptiles

Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the fastest among reptiles, it reaches a speed of movement in water - 35 km / h. Its weight can reach up to 450 kg, the body length is from 1.8 to 2.1 m, and the width at the level of the front flippers is 2.1 m. length 2.91 m, width 2.77 m and weight 961.1 kg.

The leatherback turtle is also the best diver among turtles. In May 1987, Dr. Scott Eckert reported that a leatherback turtle wearing a pressure-recording device had reached a depth of 1,200 m near the Virgin Islands.

The largest land tortoise

The largest land members of the Turtle order are those living in the Galapagos Islands, off the west coast of northern South America, and on the Aldabra Islands and the Seychelles in Indian Ocean. Land turtles live in deserts, steppes, forests. They enter the water only for swimming and often while sleeping. Their shell is more massive than that of other turtles.

The largest living elephant tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus elephantopus), named Goliath, is known, it is located in the reserve in Seisner, pc. Florida, USA, since 1960. Its length is 135.5 cm, width 102 cm, height 68.5 cm, and weight 385 kg.

Giant tortoises live for 200 years or more, so perhaps we can still observe those turtles that Charles Darwin met 160 years ago. In his time, the islands were inhabited by a population of 250,000 turtles, numbering 14 varieties. Today, 15,000 remain, three varieties have disappeared, and the fourth is on the verge of extinction, since only one turtle of this species is known.

Giant tortoises are vegetarians, they eat fruits, cacti, bromeliads and other plants, sometimes they eat insects and carrion. They can live for many months without food and water.

temperature dependent

Like other reptiles, turtles lack the ability to directly control their body temperature and are considered cold-blooded by the general public. But this is not entirely true: they die very quickly if the ambient temperature is much higher than the temperature range they are used to. Indeed, temperature is a decisive factor for the successful keeping of turtles in captivity.

Large turtles maintain a stable body temperature

Reptiles are characterized as cold-blooded animals, but this is not entirely accurate. Their body temperature is mainly determined by the environment, but in many cases they can regulate it and, if necessary, maintain it for more high level. When it is necessary to increase body temperature, reptiles usually bask in the sun, absorbing its heat through the entire surface of the skin. When they start to overheat, they tend to move into the shade.

Some species are able to generate and retain heat within their own body tissues.
Large reptiles can maintain a more stable body temperature because their massive bodies hold more heat and have thicker skin and fat.

May starve

The elephant tortoise can fast for up to 18 months.

The smallest turtle

At common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) the length of the carapace of an adult is on average 7.6 cm, and the weight is only 227 g.

The smallest sea turtle
Adult carapace length Atlantic ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) is 50-70 cm, and Weight Limit 80 kg.

The oldest turtle

The tortoise has the longest known lifespan. Astrochelysradiata. In 1773 (1777), the specimen was presented as a gift to the ruling clan of the islands of Tonga by Captain Cook. The turtle was named Tui Malila and lived to be at least 188 years old, until 1965.

Travel Turtles

The farthest journey ever made by a marine animal... done by a big-headed sea turtle, or carriage (Caretta caretta), which was tagged and released off the California Peninsula, Mexico, in an experiment conducted at the University of Arizona, USA, was detected 10,459 km off the coast of Japan.

Mystery of the Migratory Sea Turtle

The sea turtle can use the earth's magnetic field as a compass and map. The phenomenal ability of green sea ​​turtle (Chelonia mydas) to feel the slightest changes in the Earth's magnetic field. The researchers used a giant magnetic coil as high as a two-story house, which was installed next to the aquarium.

During the experiment, scientists changed the magnetic field, trying to give it parameters similar to two areas in the north and south of Florida, and the area where the turtles were caught was located just in the middle between the "poles". Reptiles subjected to the inherent magnetism northern sections, sailed south, while the "southerners" were moving north.

In each case, the turtles swam in the direction of the house, as if they were in a place where the corresponding magnetic field actually existed. By the way, it was previously discovered that moles use the magnetic field in a similar way, and the internal magnetic compass helps the birds.

natural enemies

Birds of prey drop turtles from a height onto stones and peck them out of a split shell. Cases are described when foxes pushed turtles from a ledge onto stones for the same purpose. Jaguar in South America so cleanly rakes turtles out of their natural fortress that travelers compared the results of his work with the results of working with a thin sharp knife. At the same time, the jaguar prepares several turtles for a meal, turning them on their backs, always on a flat place without vegetation, where it is difficult for them to catch their head and legs on something in order to roll over and crawl away.

Turtles do not chew their food

... and the chewing movements visible from the outside to the observer serve only to move the piece captured in the mouth into the throat. Language is also actively involved in this movement. Considering the sharp edges of the jaws with their cutting edge, as well as the powerful musculature of the head, the terrarium fan must still be quite careful with these mostly peaceful animals.

Don't give up on meat

In nature, turtles also eat bird chicks, various invertebrates, and even carrion. Therefore, experts advise including minced meat or pieces in the menu of homemade turtles. fresh meat by adding them to the fruit and vegetable mixture.

Aggressors in the world of turtles

Land species are calm, not aggressive, water species are more active and make inclinations to bite. Large water turtles with a carapace from 20 cm long can pinch their hand quite strongly, sometimes to the point of blood. As a rule, turtles are active at the time of the onset of the mating season.

The exception is Far Eastern tortoise: even tiny individuals of this species bite strongly, and specimens over 15 cm long are already dangerous. Clinging to the hand, the Far Eastern tortoise powerfully compresses its jaws, while convulsively squeezing them.

In the world there are many turtles that are simply dangerous to humans, including caiman and vulture. famous cayman turtles Chelydra serpentina very biting: they grab snakes, birds on the shore and in the water, there were cases when they bit off fingers from bathing people.

These are large turtles with a shell up to 35 cm long and weighing up to 14 kg. A menacing look to a turtle is given by sharp jaws and a short beak. To match this type and aggressive character. When defending, it actively throws out its head on a long neck and bites. He likes to hunt: he guards the victim for a long time and quickly grabs the approaching animals with his mouth - be it fish, all kinds of small animals, up to waterfowl.

Can bite a large animal

Trionyx Trionyx cartilagineus- a terribly biting soft-bodied turtle. A hungry flock of adult reptiles can bite a large animal to death.

ferocious ridley

It is up to 80 centimeters long, feeds on both plant and animal food. The temper is quite ferocious. When she is fished out of the water, Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) causes a lot of trouble: bites through the oars and hands, rushes at people.

Delayed conception

There is documentary evidence that females different types box turtles become fertilized 7 years after being soldered with a male.

The largest eggs

… put off giant tortoises (Geochelone elephantopus and G. gigantea), living on the Galapagos Islands Their eggs are equal in size to chickens, and their maturation lasts 40 years or more until they reach their maximum size. In length, they reach 1.5 m and can weigh 255 kg.

Take care of yourself from birth
After laying their eggs in the sand, rotten foliage, the turtles leave, leaving them to the sun. After a while, the baby turtles hatch. They pierce the shell with the help of a pointed growth on the muzzle, which soon disappears. From birth, they must take care of themselves. And from birth, they look the same as adults.

Only one out of a thousand
After mating, sea turtle turtles wait until night and come ashore. They dig holes in the sand and lay their eggs there. The sun warms them, and soon a lot of little turtles come out of the sand at the same time, which immediately run to the sea. On the way they are eaten by seagulls, crabs, in the sea the babies are also threatened by predators. Only one out of a thousand turtles will again be able to return to the beach where she was born herself in order to continue her family.

In captivity they do not feel discomfort
There is an opinion that some species of turtles, in particular the Central Asian one, go blind and die in captivity. Just the opposite. In captivity, these turtles do not feel discomfort; with a clear regime, they quickly get used to a new place and time of feeding. Most willingly they eat lettuce, dandelion, the pulp of watermelons and melons, as well as cabbage, apples, carrots. The most important thing for them is an abundance of heat and light. For the winter it is useful to put them in hibernation (a box with sand at a temperature of + 1-5).

Fishing kills turtles
Every year, every third sea turtle dies as a result of fishing, some populations can become completely extinct in a few decades. international trade Turtles are banned, but some fishermen kill them for their meat and eggs. In some Mexican villages, cesspools are filled with turtle shells. Many of their brethren die as by-catch - being caught in nets by accident.

Scientists tracked 50 green, vulture and leatherback turtles tagged with satellite tags for a total of 6,000 days (300 days per turtle). Six of them were caught and brought to land - 31% of the total in the equivalent of a year. The same percentage of turtles die every year around the world.

Capable of starving for years

Land turtles are very hardy; if we talk about the frequency of eating, land animals can not eat (of course, we are talking about healthy animals kept in conditions suitable for them) for weeks, months. Cases of starvation of turtles for years are described.

Very voracious
Water turtles, as carnivores, are more impatient with food. The young individuals kept in the aquarium are very voracious, they are ready to eat with appetite every day, and several times a day. Larger water turtles living in pools are ready to consume food daily, but can also starve for weeks, even more than a month. The case is described when bog turtle lived without food for more than five years. :

in the last 200 million turtles have not changed much.

Lively like a turtle
With a head shattered to tatters, a turtle can live and move for dozens of days!). And one test specimen with a remote brain lived for six months.

centenarians.
150 is the normal age for land turtle. Sometimes they live for 200 years or more.

Strongmen
Some species are striking in their strength: the green sea turtle can carry as many people as it can fit on its shell.

Can crawl on ice
Cayman turtles are not afraid of the cold, they can crawl on ice.

breeding rituals
Ridley egg-laying sites have recently been found on the coast of Mexico. Once at Cape Kennedy, on the night when the next space flight was being prepared, numerous service personnel, security, and journalists, by the light of searchlights, saw 12 sea giants that had climbed onto the sandy shore.

Paying no attention to people, the animals acted out the scene of one of the oldest performances in the world: each female dug a half-meter hole with her hind legs and laid 100-200 eggs. Then the pits were filled in, and the areas above them were carefully "harrowed" for better camouflage, although in front of so many people this did not make sense. Having finished laying, the turtles went into the water, where the males were waiting for them. They were heading back to where they came from, some 1,000 kilometers away, each to their own grazing. Ridleys travel such vast distances to lay their eggs somewhere on a sandy spit with no guarantee of safety for their offspring.

Ship barrier
Ridleys, sailing for hundreds of kilometers, gathering in flocks along the way, were so numerous in the time of Columbus that they became an obstacle to ships. Today, a ship with the Ceylonese zoologist Deraniyagala on board met a whole caravan of ridleys stretching 108 kilometers into the sea! The turtles swam at a distance of 200 meters from each other, but all in the same direction.

Turtle lifespan

The average duration of a giant tortoise is 40-50 years, the maximum is over 100 years. The giant elephant tortoise, considered the oldest of all creatures living on the planet, celebrated its 175th birthday. The hypothesis that this tortoise belonged to Darwin is based on the claim that it is one of four giant tortoises found by Darwin during his 1835 voyage to the Galapagos Islands. All four turtles were loaded aboard the Beagle, on which they arrived in Plymouth.

The oldest animal is the Madagascar radiant tortoise named Tui Malila. She was gifted royal family Tonga by Captain Cook. When she died in 1965, she was at least 188 years old.

Turtle navigation

For 300 years, seafarers have destroyed about 10 million turtles

Thanks to them, many geographical discoveries were made in the last century: turtles provided food (that is, themselves) for entire fleets. These giants include the Galapagos elephant tortoise, after which the islands were named in pacific ocean. Once upon a time there were so many of them that pirates and fishermen made a decent detour in their travels just to fill the holds with turtle meat.

After examining ship logs stored in the US Library of Congress, scientists calculated that from 1831 to 1868, only 79 whaling ships took 13,013 turtles from the Galapagos Islands! According to a rough estimate, over 300 years, sailors destroyed about 10 million individuals!

Land tortoises are not very prolific (the female Galapagos elephant tortoise lays 20 eggs per year). But they differ in that they live long (100-200 years) and are very hardy: they spent up to 12-13 months in ship holds without food and water, without showing signs of exhaustion.

Mystery of the Galapagos tortoises
One of the mysteries - how they got to the Galapagos Islands - is still unanswered. There were suggestions that they sailed, since the Galapagos elephant is a good swimmer. But from salty sea ​​water the turtle is dying. There is still speculation that people brought them, but this is only a hypothesis.

Turtles against vultures (video)

The tortoise is an animal of the chordate type, reptile class, order of the turtle (Testudines). These animals have existed on planet Earth for over 220 million years.

The turtle received its Latin name from the word "testa", meaning "brick", "tile" or "clay vessel". The Russian analogue comes from the Proto-Slavic word čerpaxa, which in turn comes from the modified Old Slavic word "čerpъ", "shard".

The laying of the turtle is covered with soil from above and compacted by blows of the plastron.

Depending on the species, the number of eggs laid can be from 1 to 200. Duration incubation period ranges from 2 to 3 months, but certain types this period can reach six months or more.

During the mating season, the female turtle is able to make several clutches.

By way of life, turtles are solitary animals and find a mate only for the mating period, although some species tend to gather in small groups for wintering.

How to care for a turtle at home?

Keeping turtles at home, both land and water, is very popular today. These animals are unpretentious, and caring for turtles is very simple, so even children can follow the pets. However, large species of turtles, which can reach more than half a meter in length, should not be chosen as pets. For a comfortable stay of reptiles in an apartment, specially equipped aquariums, terrariums or enclosures for turtles are designed, in which conditions are created that are as close as possible to their natural habitat.

The hygiene of aquatic inhabitants consists in the removal of algae that has grown on the shell. Land reptiles should be bathed daily in warm water with the addition of baking soda, washing off the remains of food and adhering soil. Overgrown turtle claws must be shortened with a small nail file. IN winter period pets need to be periodically irradiated with the rays of a quartz lamp, making a kind of sunbathing. It is necessary to ensure that the light does not fall directly into the eyes of the animal.

About feeding turtles at home is described in detail a little higher.

If the rules for caring for animals at home are observed, turtles can live up to 170 years.

• The sex of the offspring is determined by the ambient temperature during the incubation period. At low temperatures males appear, and at higher ones, females.
• Turtles became the first creatures to fly around the moon aboard a research probe launched by Soviet Union in 1968, and returned safely. This happened a few months before the Apollo 8 mission.
• In 2013, the employees of the museum of the Dnepropetrovsk Agrarian University were shocked by an unprecedented incident. From several exhibited turtle eggs that had been lying on the shelves for many years, full-fledged offspring hatched.
• The image of a turtle is present in the heraldry of some states.
• Unlike other reptiles, turtles are practically incapable of causing significant harm to humans. However, during mating season male caiman turtles may mistake a person for a rival and attack him. And male leatherback turtles can confuse a swimmer with a female, clasp him with flippers and carry him into the depths.
• Turtle meat is a delicacy product that can be consumed both without heat treatment and fried or boiled.
• Expensive accessories are cut out of the shell of turtles, which are used to decorate women's hair.