Where Do Turtles Live & Lay Their Eggs?

Turtles inhabit much of the globe.

Turtles are slow-moving, egg-laying reptiles with an attached shell. Among the oldest living vertebrates, they came into existence over 200 million years ago. About 250 species inhabit most regions of the world, including the deep seas.

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Land Turtles
- Tortoises live on land.
  
  Terrestrial turtles, including the Galapagos giant tortoises, live on land where they eat grasses, flowers, fruits and shrubs. They dig burrows in the mud in which to cool themselves off.
Fresh Water Turtles
- Many turtle species live primarily in fresh water.
  
  Many turtles, including snapping turtles, live in fresh water ponds and lakes, often coming ashore to bask in the sun and to lay eggs. Some northern species hibernate in the winter.
Sea Turtles
- Sea turtles come ashore only to lay eggs.
  
  Sea turtles spend their lives in the ocean and come ashore only to lay eggs. Their feet have evolved into flippers for swimming.
Terrapins
- Terrapins are semi-aquatic, spending time on land and in water. They prefer to make their homes near brackish water, including salt marshes, but can also survive in fresh water.
Laying Eggs
- Turtles lay eggs in holes they dig on dry land. Most do not incubate their eggs. In many species, nest temperature determines the sex of the babies: warmer nests produce more females.
Hatchlings
- Baby turtles are vulnerable to predators.
  
  Baby turtles are on their own from the moment they hatch. Many species immediately make their way to water. Predation is extremely high in the first year of life.

Photo Credit tortoises ( turtle) image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com galapagos tortoise image by Diane Stamatelatos from Fotolia.com sea turtle image by Cory Surdam from Fotolia.com leatherback sea turtle image by Shuva Rahim from Fotolia.com pseudemys scripta,turtle. image by Sergey Goruppa from Fotolia.com

Comments

Jack Oct 22, 2011
I think the horsefield tortoise is one of the most loved pets that people like to have these days.The main reason for this is their small size. tortoisefacts

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Where Do Turtles Live & Lay Their Eggs?

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Land Turtles

Fresh Water Turtles

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Laying Eggs

Hatchlings

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