20 Interesting Facts About Tortoises
Tortoises are land-dwelling turtles . They are separate from sea turtles, freshwater turtles, and other terrestrial turtles (box turtles and wood turtles). There are nearly 50 species of tortoises. Galapagos giant tortoises (on Galapagos Islands) and Aldabra giant tortoises (on Aldabra Island) are the largest, having a length of 3.3 feet (1 meter) or more. Padloper tortoises, with a length of 6-8 cm, are the smallest species. The largest mainland tortoise is the African spurred tortoise. The oldest known living animal on land is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise. In 2022, its estimated age was at least 190 years. Jonathan is also the oldest tortoise ever, surpassing the former oldest tortoise that lived for 188 years and died in 1965. ( Source ) ( Source ) Like other turtles, the most prominent feature of tortoises is a hard shell encompassing their body. Nearly all tortoise species have domed-shaped shells. The most distinguishing feature of tortoises is their elephan...