TURTLE
			Phylum: Class: Order: Chordata Reptilia Chelonia

These wonderful little animals have been a pet choice of many. Turtles and tortoises are reptiles whose bodies are protected by a hard shell or a carapace. The shell acts as a housing or castle which helps protect these animals from enemies. Most turtles can easily retract their head and limbs into the shell instantly upon threat of danger. The lower part of the turtle shell consists of bony plates. The protection offered by this bony housing has worked well for many years. In fact, the turtle's shell has greatly assisted its evolution from some 200 million years ago. Today, land tortoises still resemble their ancestors, who were trekking around during the Age of Dinosaurs.

Most turtles and tortoises live in warm parts of the world. They rely on the sun's heat to hatch their eggs, which are white in color, and laid in soil or sand. There are three main groups of these animals: land tortoises, freshwater turtles, and marine turtles. Many species are currently rare or endangered.

Land tortoises tend to have high domed shells, toes with claws, and scaly legs. Each day they warm up by basking, then feed on leaves, flowers, or fruits. They travel slowly, but have been known to reach normal human walking speed.

When the sun becomes too hot for them, tortoises seek the shade. Those from temperate climates will hibernate in the winter, burying themselves in soft earth or dead leaves. European tortoises include the nearly endangered spur-thighed tortoise and Herman's tortoise. At about 8 inches long (20 cm), both are dwarfed by the giant tortoises of some remote oceanic islands.

Galapagos giant tortoises have been known to reach a length of 5 feet (1.5 m), and weigh 300 lbs. (136 kg). Whether these creatures are large or small, land tortoises rank among the longest-lived of all animals. One individual given to the King of Tonga in 1773 allegedly lived 200 years, and died in 1966.

Fresh water turtles tend to have flatter shells than land tortoises, and largely live and feed in water. Unlike land tortoises, most freshwater turtles eat fish, water snails, or other animals both dead and alive. Many species bask at the edge of the water, and will dive in if disturbed. Some species hibernate beneath the water. Many freshwater species are called terrapins, especially in the United States.

Marine turtles have a flat carapace, and limbs which have evolved as flippers. The leathery (or leatherback) turtle is the largest living member of the tortoise group. Marine turtles roam the warm seas. Green turtles feed on water plants, but other species are carnivorous.

Breeding females will place themselves on beaches to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the baby turtles on instinct, will immediately scamper down into the sea. Unfortunately, their predators are aware of this process, and will often feed on them, which greatly depletes their survival rate. Some of the predators include crabs, gulls, and dogs.