Land turtles. Land turtles The largest eggs…

22.11.201927.05.2017

The largest land representatives of the tortoise order are the giant tortoises (Geochelone elephantopus and G. gigantea), living on the Galapagos (Turtle) Islands, off the west coast of South America, and on the Aldabra and Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean. Land turtles They live in deserts, steppes, and forests. They only go into the water to swim. Their shell is more massive than that of other turtles.

The largest living elephant turtle (Geochelone elephantopus elephantopus), called Goliath, is known; it has been in the reserve in Ceisner (Florida, USA) since 1960. Its length is 135.5 cm, width 102 cm, height 68.5 cm, and weight 385 kg.

Giant turtles live for 200 years or more, so perhaps we can still observe the same turtles that Charles Darwin met during his voyage on the Beagle (in 1834–1835). At that time, the islands were home to a population of 250,000 turtles, numbering 14 species. Today, 15,000 remain, three varieties are extinct and a fourth is critically endangered with only one known individual of the species.

One of the mysteries - how they got to the Galapagos Islands - is still unanswered. There were suggestions that they swam, since the Galapagos elephant tortoise is a good swimmer. But from the salty sea water the turtle dies. There are also guesses that they were brought by people, but this is only a hypothesis.

Giant tortoises are vegetarians, eating fruits, cacti, bromeliads and other plants, and sometimes eating insects and carrion. They are able to live for many months (up to 12–13 and even more) without food and water, which was used by sailors, who thus replenished their supplies of fresh meat. Thanks to giant turtles, many geographical discoveries were made in the last century: they provided food for entire fleets. Once there were so many of them that pirates and fishermen made a decent detour on their journeys just to fill the holds with live turtles. The population suffered enormous damage.

By examining ship logs kept in the Library of Congress, scientists estimate that from 1831 to 1868, just 79 whaling ships took 13,013 turtles from the Galapagos Islands! According to a rough estimate, over 300 years, seafarers destroyed from 5 to 10 million individuals!

Over the course of a year, a female Galapagos elephant tortoise lays only 20 eggs.

TURTLE RECORDS

The smallest turtle...

...this is a 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 longest living turtle...

... the Madagascar radiated tortoise Astrochelysradiata is considered to have achieved the longest accurately determined life expectancy. In 1777, the individual was presented as a gift royal family Tonga Islands by Captain Cook. The turtle was named Tui Malila and lived to be at least 188 years old, until 1965.

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

Average duration giant tortoise - 40–50 years, maximum - over 100 years. One of the four giant elephant tortoises that Darwin found during his voyage to the Galapagos Islands and brought to Plymouth is believed to still be alive.

The farthest journey...

...performed by a sea animal was done by a loggerhead sea turtle, or caretta ( Caretta caretta), tagged and released near the California Peninsula, Mexico, in an experiment conducted at the University of Arizona, USA. It was discovered 10,459 km off the coast of Japan.

The largest eggs...

...laid by giant elephant tortoises that live on the Galapagos Islands. Their eggs are the same size as chicken eggs.

AMAZING FACTS

Some species of turtles are amazing in their strength: the green sea turtle can carry as many people as can fit on its shell.

With its head smashed to rags, a turtle can live and move around for tens of days! And one experimental specimen with its brain removed lived for six months.

Snapping turtles are not afraid of the cold and can crawl on ice.

FEATURES OF TURTLES

A sea turtle, it turns out, can use the Earth's magnetic field. The phenomenal ability of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) to sense the slightest changes has been experimentally confirmed. The researchers used a giant magnetic coil the height of a two-story house, which they 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 exactly in the middle between the “poles.” The reptiles, exposed to the magnetism inherent in the northern areas, swam south, while at the same time the “southerners” moved north.

In each case, the turtles swam towards 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 a magnetic field in a similar way, and birds are helped by an internal magnetic compass.

Reptiles are called cold-blooded animals, but this is not entirely accurate. Their body temperature is mainly determined environment, but in many cases they can regulate it and, if necessary, maintain it at a higher level. When it is necessary to increase their body temperature, reptiles usually bask in the sun, absorbing its heat through the entire surface of their skin. When they start to overheat, they tend to retreat into the shade. Large reptiles have a more stable body temperature because their massive bodies contain more heat and have thicker skin and fat layers.

Some species are able to generate and retain heat within their own body tissues.

However, turtles die very quickly if the ambient temperature is much higher than their normal temperature range. Temperature is a critical factor for successfully keeping turtles in captivity.

Turtles do not chew their food, and the chewing movements visible to the observer from the outside serve only to move the piece captured in the mouth into the pharynx. Language also actively participates in this movement. Given the sharp edges of the jaws with their cutting edge, as well as the powerful muscles of the head, the terrarium enthusiast should still be quite careful with these mostly peaceful animals.

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

However, land turtles may not eat food (we are, of course, talking about healthy animals kept in conditions suitable for them) for months. Cases of turtles starving for years have been described.

Aquatic turtles, as carnivores, are more impatient with their food. Young individuals kept in an aquarium are very voracious; they are ready to eat with appetite every day, and several times a day. Larger aquatic turtles living in pools are ready to consume food daily, but can also go hungry for weeks, even more than a month.

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 the new place and time of feeding. They most readily eat lettuce, dandelion, the pulp of watermelons and melons, as well as cabbage, apples, and carrots. The most important thing for them is an abundance of warmth and light. For the winter, it is useful to hibernate them (in a box with sand at a temperature of +1–5 °C).

Land species are calm and not aggressive; water species are more active and tend to bite. Large aquatic turtles with carapaces over 20 cm long can pinch your hand quite hard, sometimes causing blood. As a rule, turtles become active during the mating season.

The exception is the Far Eastern tortoise: even tiny individuals of this species bite strongly, and specimens longer than 15 cm are already dangerous. Clutching the hand, the Far Eastern tortoise powerfully clenches its jaws.

There are many turtles in the world that are simply dangerous to humans, including snapping and vulture turtles. The famous snapping turtles Chelydra serpentina grab snakes, birds on the shore and in the water; There were cases when they bit off the fingers of people bathing.

These are large turtles with a shell up to 35 cm long and weighing up to 14 kg. The turtle's menacing appearance is given by its sharp jaws and short beak. This look matches its aggressive character. When defending, she actively throws her head towards long neck and bites. He loves to hunt: he guards his prey for a long time and quickly grabs approaching animals with his mouth - be it fish, all kinds of small animals, even waterfowl.

Trionyx cartilagineus is a terribly biting softshell turtle. A hungry flock of adult reptiles can bite a large animal to death.

The ridley tortoise (Lepidochelys olivacea) is also a ferocious species. It is up to 80 cm long and feeds on both plant and animal foods. When caught from the water, the ridley causes a lot of trouble: it bites through oars and hands, and rushes at people.

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

Turtles have many enemies. Predator birds They drop turtles from a height onto rocks and peck them out of their cracked shells. Cases are described when foxes pushed turtles from ledges onto stones for the same purpose. The jaguar in South America scoops turtles out of their natural fortress so cleanly that travelers have 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 its meal, turning them over on their backs, always on a level place without vegetation, where it is difficult to catch their head and legs on something in order to turn over and crawl away.

Every year, one in three sea turtles are killed as a result of fishing, and some populations may become extinct within just a few decades. International trade in turtles is prohibited, but fishermen kill them for their meat and eggs. In some Mexican villages cesspools filled with turtle shells. Many of their brethren die when they are accidentally caught in a net.

Scientists monitored 50 satellite-tagged green, vulture and leatherback turtles 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 a time equivalent to a year. It is likely that the same percentage of turtles are killed each year worldwide.

Once at Cape Canaveral, on the night when the next space flight was being prepared, numerous service personnel, security guards, and journalists saw 12 sea creatures- Ridley turtles that have found their way onto the sandy shore.

Not paying attention to the people, the animals acted out a scene as old as time: each female dug a half-meter hole with her hind legs and laid 100–200 eggs. Then the holes were filled in, and the areas above them were carefully “harrowed” for camouflage. Having finished laying, the turtles went into the water, where the males were waiting for them. They headed back to where they had come from, some 1000 km away, each to their own pasture. Ridleys travel such vast distances to lay eggs somewhere on a sand spit without any guarantee of safety for the offspring.

The sun warms the clutches, and soon many small turtles, very similar to adults, crawl out of the sand at the same time. They pierce the shell with a pointed growth on the snout, which later falls off. The turtles immediately run to the sea. Along the way, they are eaten by seagulls and crabs; in the sea, the babies are also threatened by predators. Only one in a thousand turtles will be able to return to the beach where they were born to continue their lineage.

Some turtles do not lay eggs right away. There is documented evidence that females different types box turtle become fertilized 7 years after mating with a male.

Turtles are one of the oldest species of reptiles. These are unique animals that are able to survive in the harshest living conditions. Some species are well adapted to low temperatures, others – to high. Certain subspecies of reptiles can live without food and water for several years, and some can live without oxygen for more than 10 hours. Their sizes are also striking, which can be several centimeters or reach 1-2 meters or more.

10. Snapping Turtle | 35 cm

(35 cm) is one of the smallest turtles in size, among the largest. Their length can reach 35 cm. The weight of the animal is 14 kg. Some individuals can weigh up to 30 kg. This species is common in Canada, as well as in the Eastern and Central regions of the United States. The habitat is water bodies where there is a lot of silt. This makes it easy for turtles to burrow in for the winter, where they hibernate. At the same time, this species is resistant to cold and can move both under and on ice in the cold season. Individuals feed on small representatives underwater world, including carrion. The caiman species is often hunted in the United States, as the meat of these turtles is quite popular and edible among local residents.

9. Red-eared slider | 37 cm

(37 cm) is a species of freshwater turtle that is common in America and Mexico. Females are noticeably larger than males: the length of the shell for females is 37 cm, and for males - 20 cm. The turtle received its name because of the red spots located on the side of the head. The animal chooses swampy, dirty reservoirs for its habitat. Turtles prefer to lead sedentary lifestyle life, but in the presence of danger they react very quickly and quickly hide. They easily adapt to life in captivity and, with proper care, can live up to 50 years. To keep them, you will need a 200 liter aquarium.

8. Fringed Turtle | 40 cm

40 cm belongs to the snake-necked family. This species has a rather peculiar and bizarre appearance: a large, triangular head, a nose in the form of a long process, a thin and long neck, and the carapace (carapace) is a pyramidal shape with growths. The length of the carapace reaches 40 cm, and the weight of an adult is 15 kg. Another name for the turtle is matamata. The species is widespread in South America, Brazil, Peru and many other eastern and northern countries. It chooses bodies of water with standing water as its habitat. This species prefers to feed exclusively on fish. Under ideal conditions, mats can live up to 40-75 years.

7. Spurred Tortoise | 75 cm

(75 cm) is one of the largest land turtles. The average shell size of this species is 75 cm. There is evidence that the turtle can reach 1 m in shell length. The weight of females is about 60 kg, males - 100 kg. The habitat of amphibian giants is the deserts of Africa. Basically, these are herbivores that can easily go without water for a long time. They grow very quickly and reach the specified sizes by the age of 20. The number of the species has recently been declining due to hunting and habitat destruction. In captivity, turtles can live more than 50 years.

6. Arrau (Tartaruga) | 1 meter

Arrau (Tartaruga) (1m) is one of the largest freshwater animals, living in Brazil, Bolivia and other northern countries. The length of an adult individual is on average 1 meter or more. The turtle feeds on various plants and insects. Arrara weighs about 70 kg. This species is now being actively studied in wildlife, but there is no data on the life expectancy of the tartaruga yet.

5. Giant Seychelles tortoise | 120 cm

(120 cm) – rare view land turtles. The average size of a land animal is 120cm. Habitat is Aldabra Island. There they can be found in open spaces overgrown with tall grass and bushes. Giant tortoises feed mainly on grass. In captivity, turtles can live up to 150 years. The Advaita tortoise is the oldest representative of this animal species: it died at the age of 250 years. Therefore, this is not only one of the largest species of turtles, but also one of the records for longevity.

4. Vulture turtle | 140 cm

(140 cm) is similar in appearance to the caiman species, but much larger. The average size of the animal's shell is 140 cm. The species is distributed in the southeastern United States. Their weight is relatively small and reaches 60 kg. Freshwater animals feed mainly on fish. In favorable conditions, some individuals live up to 80 years. The turtle is considered very aggressive, especially the males during the breeding season. If the giant doesn't like something, he can bite. The meat of this species is used to make turtle soup. This is one of the largest but lightest turtles.

3. Green turtle | 150 cm

“” (150 cm) opens the top three the most giant turtles in the world. The length of the sea animal is 150 cm, and its weight can reach 200 kg. The animal got its name because of its olive-green color, but individuals with a dark brown color are often found. Giants live in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The turtle is also called a soup turtle, as its meat was used to prepare first courses. But due to active hunting of the species, their numbers have decreased significantly. Therefore, hunting of green turtles is currently prohibited. On average, a turtle lives 80 years.

2. Galapagos Elephant Tortoise | 180 cm

(180 cm) is a real land giant. Its length exceeds 180 cm, and its weight reaches 400 kg! These turtles live on the Galapagos Islands and feed on plants and shrubs that are considered poisonous. Currently, this species is listed in the Red Book as it is endangered. Until recently, there were 11 subspecies of this animal. In 2012, the only representative of the eleventh subspecies, nicknamed Lonesome George, died. The turtle died at the age of 100 without producing any offspring. Representatives of the elephant tortoise species can live up to 200 years of age.

1. Leatherback Turtle | 2 meters

(2 m) - the largest species of turtle in the whole world. The average length of this species is 2 meters. The body of one of the individuals when measured was 2.6 m! The mass of the turtle reaches 600 kg. The giant lives in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Mainly eats marine life. With such impressive sizes, the life expectancy of animals is relatively short: 20-30 years. The species of the largest turtle in the world is listed in the Red Book and is under protection.

A representative of this species is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, to which scientists have given the name Archelon. The length of the archelon was more than 4 meters, and it weighed about 2 tons. This is the largest turtle known to the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROem-cmc5Zo

Nature knows how to surprise people. One of the most unusual creatures on the planet is turtles. Some individuals can reach gigantic sizes and shock you with their mere appearance. The Guinness Book of Records notes particularly outstanding ones. Who are these record holders, and how much does the world's largest turtle weigh? In this article turtles.

Top 5 largest turtles in the world

All turtles are different, and even within the same species, their sizes can vary significantly from each other.

1. Leatherback turtle(Lat. Dermochelys coriacea). The average length is 2 meters. The Guinness Book of Records included in its lists the dimensions of the largest individual: 2.6 m - shell diameter and 916 kg - total body weight. The span of the front flippers is 5 m.

Such outstanding parameters, according to scientists, were achieved due to constant life in water. The habitats of these turtles are the southern seas. Coming to land only to lay eggs, they feel at ease at great depths and can swim at a speed of almost 35 km/h. There are suggestions that the largest specimens of leatherback turtles simply have not yet been seen, since they rarely rise from the seabed.

A distinctive feature of this type of turtle is the absence of a bone, hard covering of the shell. Their back is covered with skin, and the ability to hide in a shell is lost. This makes turtles vulnerable to humans and very shy.

It is believed that this type of reptile existed on the planet long before the appearance of humans. Due to their impressive size and still unexplored life, leatherback turtles are heroes of fairy tales and legends.

On this moment These turtles are protected by the state as an endangered species. A special reserve was opened in the USA to preserve the numbers of these unusual reptiles.

(lat. Chelonia mydas). The body reaches 1.5 m in length and weight - 500 kg. Average life expectancy is 70 years. Lives in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It got its name because of its light green, olive color.

It feeds on crabs, snails, sponges and jellyfish, switching to algae and grass with age. It does not pose a danger to humans.

This type of sea turtle sometimes leaves the water to lay eggs or soak up the sun. It is also called “soup” for the delicate taste of meat and its use for cooking. Turtle eggs are very popular, and the shells are used to make crafts and souvenirs. However, it is listed in the Red Book, and catching individuals is punishable by law. Currently an endangered species.

(lat. Chelonoidis elephantopus). It reaches 2 meters in length and weighs, on average, 350 kg. There are 16 subspecies of this turtle. Distinctive feature– long elongated neck and paws. It feeds on vegetation, drinks a lot of water, and in dry periods switches to cacti and shrubs, which are poisonous to other animals. Elephant turtles are not dangerous to humans.

They are land-dwelling and live only on the Galapagos Islands. They are long-lived among reptiles of this species, living on average 90 - 100 years. There are representatives who have lived up to 300 years.

At the moment, elephant turtles are on the verge of extinction. The Galapagos Islands are declared a nature reserve, a national park and are protected by UNESCO.

(lat. Macroclemys temminckii). The length can reach 1.5 meters, the shell is 1.4 m. It lives in rivers and canals of the southern USA. This is one of the lightest turtles in terms of weight: their weight does not exceed 60 kg. Moreover, it is the largest among land turtles.

Life expectancy is short compared to others - only 60 years.

Another feature of this species: the aggressiveness of the animal. Even her appearance can inspire fear: a large head, a pointed nose, similar to a beak, all the skin is uneven and pimply. May bite, bite off a finger, or injure a hand. In the USA, this type of turtle is recognized as dangerous to human life and health and is prohibited from breeding in a house or apartment.

(lat. Aldabrachelys gigantea) is a very rare species of turtle. Also because of its large size it is called a giant turtle. On average, the body length is 1.2 m. It belongs to land turtles. It feeds on fresh greens, grass and vegetables. The only place habitats on the planet are the islands of Aldabra and Curieuse in the Seychelles group. The colony of Seychelles turtles numbers about 150 thousand individuals.

On average, these turtles reach an age of 150 - 200 years. Advaita is the oldest representative who lived 250 years, and this is an absolute record.

Modern types of turtles, such as the green or leatherback, are powerful, hardy and can accommodate 5 people on their shell at once. These giants can live without food for several weeks and even months. Cases of them fasting for a year are described. Green turtles are known among sailors for their ability to sense and predict the slightest tectonic movements, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Scientists have discovered a huge turtle that lived in the Cretaceous period BC, similar in structure to the leatherback turtles of our time. It was even given the name Archelon and was recognized as the largest since the appearance of life on Earth. The dimensions are impressive: with a total length of 4.6 meters, it weighed more than 2 tons. The remains of this turtle were discovered in North America.

Another giant reptile that is considered extinct is Myolania. In addition to its large size, it is known for its long body (up to 5 m) and the presence of two horns unusual shape. It lived in Australia and New Caledonia and on the coasts of rivers and lakes, feeding on vegetation. Scientists suggest that the meat of Myolaniya was extremely valuable in its composition, pleasant and delicate in taste, which became the reason for the destruction of the species. The last turtle of this species became extinct about 2,000 years ago.

Thanks to excavations by scientists, the turtle, its size and parameters are known today. Archelon inspires fear and respect for the power of nature and its capabilities. Man is just beginning to uncover the secrets and mysteries of all life on Earth, and perhaps someday this record of the largest turtle will be broken.

The interpretation of this word in this dictionary will be added to bookmarks. Bookmarks are saved on your computer in cookies. If your browser does not support cookie

or this feature is disabled, saving bookmarks will not be possible.

Land Turtles

(Testudinidae), turtle family. The shell is high and durable, long. from 10 cm to 1 m or more (in elephant turtles). The head is covered with large scutes. The hind legs are thick and columnar. More than 10 genera, approx. 40 species, in subtropical and tropical regions (steppes, savannas, deserts) of Africa, Asia, South. Europe, North and Yuzh. America. In the USSR there are 2 species: the Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo graeca), living in Dagestan and Transcaucasia, and the Central Asian tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldi), with a shell length. up to 30 cm, in the deserts of the South. Kazakhstan and Middle East Asia. S. h. are slow, hardy animals; in the main herbivores. They lay from 2 to 30 eggs. Life expectancy is 50-100 (less often up to 150) years. 10 species and 13 subspecies of this family. in the IUCN Red Book, Mediterranean turtle in the USSR Red Book. (see 44_table_44) fig. 6, 8, 9.
1. A reptile with a bony or leathery shell.
2. Armored slow-moving vehicle.
3. While playing with her, Gyulchatay was late for roll call.
4. Film by Takeshi Kitano “Achilles and...”.
5. The formation of the legions, in which the warriors covered their heads with shields, was called the same as this reptile.
6. “Now take me for a ride, big...!” (cartoon).
7. Which reptile swims fastest in water?
8. Film by Rolan Bykov “Attention,...!”
9. How is a German word composed of two German words meaning “shield” and “toad” translated into Russian?
10. Once upon a time, crowds of these animals blocked the path of Columbus’s caravels.
11. The largest of them - leathery - reaches a weight of 544 kg, elephant - up to 254 kg.
13. It was this animal, considered an attribute of the goddess Aphrodite and Urania, in ancient Greece became a symbol of a woman - the mistress of the house.
14. Who was Ao, who carried the three sacred mountains across the sea in Chinese mythology?
15. It was this animal that gave the name to the common Ancient Rome method of combat formation.
16. It was this living creature that was the first to fly around the Moon.
17. Who couldn’t Achilles catch up with in Zeno’s paradox?
18. Who was the fairy Tortilla?
19. “Guess who’s wearing the bone coat?” (mystery).
20. “There is a stone below, a stone above, four legs, and one head” (riddle).
21. Who in the world wears a stone shirt?
22. Reptile, character from “The Adventures of Pinocchio.”
23. Armored reptile.
24. A reptile mating with a lion cub.
25. Tale of Korney Chukovsky.
26. Shed with portable shields.