Turtles & Tortoises
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What's the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?Turtles and tortoises are both reptiles with shells, so what exactly are their differences?
By Charles Q. Choi Published
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Zoo unveils babies of 100-year-old giant tortoise, 'Mommy'Four adorable western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise babies are now on display at Philadelphia Zoo after their 100-year-old 'Mommy' reproduced for the first time.
By Patrick Pester Published
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Giant tortoise becomes first-time mom at about 100 years oldA roughly 100-year-old western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise has become a mom for the first time after reproducing with a male of the same age at Philadelphia Zoo.
By Patrick Pester Published
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Cantor's giant softshell turtle: The frog-faced predator that spends 95% of its time completely motionlessThese leathery turtles spend most of their lives buried motionless in river mud, but burst into action to catch their unsuspecting prey.
By Lydia Smith Published
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Leatherback turtle dives deeper than a Navy sub, smashing world record in the processA Western Pacific leatherback migrating from her nesting grounds in the Solomon Islands dove to a whopping 4,409 feet, conservationists say.
By Patrick Pester Published
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Mary River turtle: The green-haired oddball that can breathe through its butt for 72 hoursThe Mary River turtle has adapted to life underwater after splitting from all other living turtle lineages more than 18 million years ago.
By Megan Shersby Published
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World's oldest tortoise still randy at 191 years oldJonathan, the world's oldest tortoise, has turned 191, living through 40 U.S. presidents and 31 St. Helena governors.
By Carys Matthews Published
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'This is the cost of living in seawater': The ingenious and (to us) heartbreaking way turtles survive the salty oceansIn this extract from the new book Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works, oceanographer Helen Czerski explains the ingenious way turtles contend with the extreme saltiness of the sea.
By Helen Czerski Published
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Largest freshwater turtle species doomed to extinction after last female washes up deadThe known population of the Yangtze giant softshell turtle is now just two males. Experts said that if the female had survived, she could have "laid a hundred eggs or more a year."
By Harry Baker Published
