June 05, 2025

The Turtles are Almost Here!

Ten Turtle Facts to Help You Celebrate the Opening of Turtles

Fact #1
Turtles are the ultimate survivors! They have survived, virtually unchanged, through THREE mass extinction events.

Fact #2
Turtle shells have feelings too! A turtle can feel through their shell, which is made of bone and covered in skin and scales.

Fact #3
Turtles bite! Snapping turtles can’t tuck inside their shells, like many other turtle species, so for defense, they try to bite predators.

Fact #4
Turtles aren’t just herbivores; they are omnivores that will opportunistically scavenge other animals’ carcasses.

Fact #5
When painted turtles hatch too late, they stay in their nests, freeze solid (turning into a turtle-sicle!) and emerge the next spring.

Fact #6
Turtles can live without breathing (kinda). Some North American turtles stay underwater all winter without taking a breath of air. Their metabolism slows so much that they can absorb enough oxygen through their skin or to survive. 

Fact #7
Turtle See, Turtle Do! Turtles learn to complete tasks faster when they observe another turtle successfully completing the task first, instead of tackling it on their own.

Fact #8
Turtles can see more colors than people can! They see into the infrared spectrum, which is invisible to human eyes.

Fact #9
When turtles have finished digging their nest and begin to lay their eggs, they go into a trance-like state where they seem oblivious to their surroundings, getting into the turtle zone.

Fact #10
Turtles are some of the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth. Most species live over 50 years, with several species living to be more than 100 years old, like the Galapagos giant tortoise. 

Want to learn more? Come see Turtles, opening on Saturday, June 7, 2025 and on view until Sept. 1, 2025. The exhibit features live turtle presentations, hands-on interactives and much more. Also see Coral Sea in the Giant Screen Theater, where you can learn about the conservation efforts to help sea turtles.