*Top 11* Amazing Tortoise Facts!
Tortoises have been on Earth for over 230 million years! Which means they once lived among dinosaurs.
Tortoises are the only turtle species that live on land only. (Turtles live on both land and water. Sea Turtles live in water only). These amazing creatures live on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica.
Read on for more amazing Tortoise Facts!
1) Tortoises are Reptiles
Tortoises are reptiles, which means that they are cold blooded, egg laying animals that are completely covered in scales. They are vegetarian, although they sometimes eat bones and snail shells for calcium.
2) Tortoises live on Land Only
Tortoises live on land only. Therefore, they have flat feet and claws that are adept for walking on land. (In contrast, all other turtle species have webbed feet for swimming).
Tortoises have large, domed shells that makes them unable to swim. (In contrast, other turtle species have streamlined shells that are adept for swimming).
Check out my *Top 15* Amazing Turtle Facts blog!
3) Tortoises are the Longest Living Animal
Tortoises are the longest living animal on earth. Some live to be over 180 years old! In 2014 the BBC reported that a tortoise named Jonathan on the island of St Helena was 182 years old!!!
4) Tortoises can Retract inside their Shell
Tortoises retract their head and neck inside their shell to protect themselves from predators. (All other turtle species have streamlined shells close to their bodies that are adept for swimming, but not for retracting).
5) Tortoises can go Months without Food
As amazing as it sounds, tortoises can go 6 months or more without food or water! That is the reason why they are found on so many islands around the world.
Tortoises can’t swim, but scientists believe that in the past they floated from island to island. They were able to survive the journey because they can go long periods without food and water.
6) Tortoises Dig Tunnels
Tortoises dig underground tunnels to stay cool in the day and warm at night. Sulcata tortoises (who live in the Sahara desert) burrow deep under the desert.
7) Giant Tortoises are a Tortoise Species
Giant Tortoises are a species of tortoise. As the name suggests, they are huge. They live in remote groups of tropical islands and in the Sahara Desert.
8) Galapagos Tortoises are the Largest Tortoise Species
Galapagos Tortoises are the largest species of tortoises in the world. They can weigh a whopping 920 pounds!
There are 15 Galapagos Tortoise species. As the name suggests, they live on the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. (Fun Fact – Galapagos is an old Spanish word for “tortoise”).
Conservation Status: Vulnerable to Critically Endangered
Galapagos Tortoise Facts
In the wild, Galapagos Tortoises can live to be 100 years old. And in captivity they can live to be 177!!!
Galapagos Tortoises are very slow; their top speed is 0.18 miles per hour. They are herbivores whose diet consists of grass, fruits, and vegetables. There were once at least 250,000 Galapagos Tortoises. Sadly, only 15,000 remain in the wild today.
Check out my Gatorland in Orlando: Everything You Need to Know in 2025 blog!
9) Aldabra Tortoises are the Second Largest Tortoise Species
Aldabra Tortoises are the second largest species of tortoise in the world. They live on the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles.
Aldabra Tortoises are easily recognizable because of their large dome-shaped shells. They are herbivores that eat grass and leaves.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are Aldabras!
Aldabra Tortoises aggressively search for food. They stand on their hind legs and stretch their long necks to reach leaves in high tree branches.
Spanish biologist José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez (1737–1799) famously dubbed them “Ninja Turtles.” Could that be the inspiration for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise?
10) Sulcata Tortoises are the third Largest Tortoise Species
Sulcata Tortoises are the third largest tortoise species in the world. They live on the southern edge of the Sahara desert in Africa. Which makes them the largest mainland tortoise.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Sulcata Tortoise Facts
Sulcata Tortoises live in the Sahara Desert, where temperatures can reach 117 °F. To keep cool, they dig burrows 30 inches to 10 feet deep in the desert sand.
Sulcata Tortoises are herbivores that exist solely on grass and leaves. They get all the water they need from the plants they eat. In fact, when they are offered water in captivity they do not drink it.
They can live more than 100 years and weigh up to 200 pounds.
Sulcatas Do Not Make Good Pets
Sulcatas are one of the most popular pet tortoises. However, they can grow to be 200 pounds, have a special diet, and need a large area to burrow in. Please read this article before you adopt!
Check out my *Top 20* Amazing Sea Turtle Facts blog!
11) Tortoises are threatened with Extinction
Sadly, in the 16th century European sailors hunted Giant Tortoises to near extinction for their meat and oil. The sailors liked the fact that the tortoises could live on their ships for several months without food or water.
In the 1970s there were only 3,000 Giant Tortoises left in the world! Due to scientists and conservationists who breed and raise them, Giant Tortoises have made a comeback and today there are an estimated 20,000.
Final Thoughts
Tortoises are ancient, slow-moving survivors that have outlived dinosaurs and watched the world change around them. Each Tortoise, from the giant Galapagos to the small Sulcata, plays a vital role in our planet’s balance. Their resilience, long lifespan, and calm nature make them some of the most remarkable animals on Earth.
