When did turtles appear on earth? Turtle - an ancient reptile

Turtles are very ancient creatures. To some extent, they are descendants of some species of dinosaurs.

There are a huge variety of turtles. They are divided into species, subspecies, orders, suborders. Many are already extinct, and some are on the verge of extinction. Some turtles can be kept in the house, but some are simply not meant for this.

Today we will try to understand all the diversity and types of turtles.

There are a huge variety of turtle species. In total there are more than 328 species, which are included in 14 families.

The tortoise order consists of two suborders, divided by the way the animal retracts its head into its shell:

1. Hidden-necked turtles with necks folded into an "S" shape
2. Side-necked turtles with their head tucked toward one of their front legs

This is the simplest division. I will not give an official division into all types and subspecies here. For this we can read Wikipedia. The purpose of this article is not to confuse you, but to give the most convenient and simple classification. Therefore, we will divide turtles by habitat.

According to the habitat of turtles, there is the following classification:

• sea ​​turtles(live in seas and oceans)
• Terrestrial turtles (live on land or in fresh water)

In turn, terrestrial turtles last for:

• Land turtles
• Freshwater turtles

Types of sea turtles

Sea turtles are inhabitants of salt waters. Unlike their earthly relatives they differ large size. They live in warm tropical waters, practically never visiting cold latitudes.

Sea turtles have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years since they appeared on the planet. They are characterized by developed forelimbs, used as flippers, and hind legs that are almost not involved in movement. Also, in sea turtles, the limbs cannot be retracted into the shell. Moreover, some species, such as the leatherback turtle, have no shell at all.

Despite the popular belief that turtles are slow animals, this is only the case on land, where they really look clumsy. However, in the water they are transformed, becoming examples of speed and superior navigator qualities. Even in Fiji (a state in Pacific Ocean) the sea turtle is the symbol of the maritime department. This is no accident - nature really rewarded these animals with qualities that allowed them to become excellent swimmers.

In addition, scientists have not fully figured out why, but turtles have amazing navigational abilities:

• Firstly, they accurately determine the place of their birth, and return exactly there to continue their offspring. And even after many years they remember the place of their birth.
• Secondly, sea turtles undergo enormous migrations, presumably guided by magnetic field Earth, which prevents them from getting lost.
• And thirdly, some sea turtles, for example, the Ridley turtle, gather to lay eggs in the sand only on one day a year. Scientists suggest that only those individuals that were born in this particular place and were lucky enough to survive gather on the beach. Locals call this day "invasion" when thousands of turtles emerge from the water. This behavior suggests a collective consciousness among turtles.

When the turtle lays her eggs, she very carefully buries the eggs with sand, compacts it, and makes it invisible. Looking at such care for the eggs, it is difficult to imagine that the mother turtle does not experience any maternal feelings, and having done her job, returns to the ocean without waiting for the eggs to hatch.

The hatched turtle will likely live less than 10 minutes. Having got out of the sand, she rushes to the water, on the way to which a huge number of enemies, primarily birds of prey, await her. But even after reaching water, most of them will be eaten sea ​​predators. Only one in a hundred turtles born will reach adulthood and return to this beach to continue their lineage.

Based on materials from: inokean.ru

The most famous representatives sea ​​turtles:

• Leatherback turtle
• Green (soup sea turtle)
• Loggerhead sea turtle (false carriage turtle)
• Hawksbill sea turtle (true caretta)
• ridley (olive turtle)

Types of land turtles

Terrestrial turtles make up the largest large group by the number of species included in it. This includes the family of land turtles, which has 37 species, as well as the two most large families freshwater turtles(85 species).

Terrestrial turtles also include many families, including 1-2 species.

Spread throughout the roast and temperate zone(except Australia). Swamp turtles live in the steppe zone of Russia and the Caucasus.
Includes 5–7 species inhabiting the Mediterranean, the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia.

Terrestrial turtles are herbivores. This is one of the few examples of the development of only plant foods among turtles. Serves them as food green grass and vegetation, with which they receive the necessary portion of water. In the habitats of many species, food and water are available only for short periods.

In such places, turtles spend most of their lives hibernating. Thanks to this slow metabolism, the life expectancy of turtles is very long, up to 100 - 150 years.

The most famous representatives of land turtles:

• Galapagos elephant tortoise
• Elastic turtle
• Steppe tortoise
• Elephant turtle
• Wood turtle

Types of land turtles

Land turtles, like freshwater turtles, belong to the species of terrestrial turtles.

Let's start with the land ones - a family of turtles with 11-13 genera, including about forty species.

Land animals with a high, less often flattened, shell, with thick columnar legs. The toes are fused together, and only the short claws remain free. The head and legs are covered with scutes and scales.

Among land turtles there are both small species, about 12 cm long, and giant ones, up to a meter or more in length. Gigantic species live only on a few islands (Galapagos, Seychelles, etc.). Specimens are known that have reached about 400 kg of live weight in captivity.

Compared to freshwater turtles, land turtles are very slow and clumsy, so in case of danger they do not try to escape, but hide in their shells. Another method of defense used by many land turtles is the sudden emptying of a very capacious bladder. When in danger, the Central Asian turtle hisses like a viper.

They are distinguished by phenomenal vitality and longevity. Life expectancy different types ranges from 50 to 100 years, sometimes up to 150.

Land turtles are primarily herbivores, but their diet must include a certain amount of animal food. They can go for a very long time without water and food, and in the presence of succulent vegetation they do not need water at all, but they drink it willingly, especially in the heat.

The most popular are the Central Asian and Mediterranean turtles. It's better to take a young turtle. This can be easily determined by the size of the shell (it is small) and behavior (reaction, better in young turtles).

Based on materials from: so-sha.narod.ru

The most famous representatives of land turtles:

• Panther turtle
• Yellow-footed turtle
• Yellow-headed turtle
• Red footed turtle
• Radiant turtle
• Steppe (Central Asian) turtle
• Mediterranean (Caucasian, Greek)

Types of freshwater turtles

Freshwater turtles are the largest family of turtles, comprising 31 genera and 85 species. These are small and medium-sized animals, the shell of which in most cases is low and has a rounded oval streamlined shape.

Their limbs are usually swimming, have more or less developed membranes and are armed with sharp claws. The head is covered on top with smooth skin, only sometimes there are small shields on the back of the head. Many species have very bright, beautiful colors of the head and legs, and often the shell.

The family is distributed unusually widely - in Asia, Europe, North Africa, North and South America. There are two main nodes in their geography. The main, most ancient center lies in Southeast Asia, where more than 20 genera are concentrated; the second center apparently formed later in the east North America, where 8 genera of freshwater turtles are found.

Most species are aquatic inhabitants, inhabiting bodies of water with weak currents. They move deftly both in water and on land, and feed on a variety of animal and plant foods. Only individual species switched to living on land for the second time, which affected their appearance and behavior. Although carnivory is characteristic of aquatic turtles, some species are strict vegetarians.

Just like land animals, they should be kept in terrariums, but only in special ones. You need a heated lamp, a “bank” where the turtle should go out to warm up, and actual water.

Trionics is a representative of the family of soft-bodied turtles.

It inhabits the Amur basin within Russia (which is the extreme northern limit of its range) almost from the mouth and south to the western part of Primorye, Eastern China, North Korea, Japan, as well as Hainan Island, Taiwan. Introduced to Hawaii.

Lives in fresh water bodies. Most active at dusk and at night. During the day it often basks on the shore. In case of danger, it instantly disappears into the water, burying itself in the bottom silt. It feeds on fish, amphibians, insects, mollusks and worms.

Also very popular red-eared turtles. Representatives of the genus can be found south of North America, Southern and Central Europe, South Africa, South-East Asia.

The turtle got its name from the two elongated bright red spots behind its eyes. This spot may be bright yellow in the Cumberland turtle subspecies or yellow in the yellow-bellied turtle subspecies. The plastron is oval, usually dark in color with yellow lines and a yellow edging around the edge.

The most famous representatives of freshwater turtles:

• Side-necked turtle

Unofficial division of turtles

These divisions are not included in the official ones, but I believe that it is worth dividing them according to these criteria to make your choice easier.

Types of pet turtles

Here again we will divide for convenience into land and freshwater turtles.

Land pet turtles

The most common type of turtle. Those turtles that we are used to seeing among our friends, acquaintances, and relatives. Moves slowly and a little awkwardly, waddling.

By the way, it is officially listed in the Red Book and prohibited for sale. But, as we see, most pet stores circumvent this ban.

In nature, it lives in southern, warm regions, in agricultural and desert areas of Central Asia. The sizes are medium, the shell is 20-30 centimeters long, yellow-brown in color with dark zones on the scutes. The limbs have four fingers.

The most comfortable temperature for keeping in a terrarium is 24-30 degrees. However, being in a closed space has a detrimental effect on the health and psychological state of the animal, and it dies early. Not in vain Central Asian turtle placed in the Red Book!

This breed has about 20 subspecies, living in various landscapes and climatic zones. This is mainly North Africa, southern Europe and South-West Asia, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Dagestan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan.

Accordingly, it loves warmth and sunlight. Depending on the subspecies, it has different sizes and colors of the shell. The dimensions of the shell reach up to 35 centimeters. Color – brown-yellow with dark splashes. On the back of the thighs there is a horny tubercle. There are 5 toes on the front paws, and spurs on the hind paws. Comfortable temperature for keeping in an aquarium is 25-30 degrees.

They are similar in appearance to Mediterranean turtles, but much smaller. The dimensions of the shell are 15-20 centimeters (according to some sources – 30 centimeters). The color of the shell is yellow-brown with black spots. At a young age it is bright, but fades over the years.

A characteristic feature of this species is the conical spike at the end of the tail. Individuals living in the west are smaller than individuals living in the east.

At all, this type lives in southern Europe, along the coast Mediterranean Sea: northeastern Spain, European Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian coasts of Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, as well as the Greek islands. Comfortable temperature for keeping in a terrarium is 26-32 degrees.

These turtles are very small. Their shell size is only about 12 centimeters. Yellow in color, shields with a dark border. There are no spurs on the hind legs.

Habitat: Mediterranean coast of Israel, Egypt, Libya. If you decide to get such a turtle, then remember that the temperature in the terrarium should be about 24-30 degrees. Feature behavior of the Egyptian tortoise - like an ostrich, it quickly buries itself in the sand when danger approaches.

Freshwater pet turtles

The most common species of freshwater turtles, which can be found in terrariums and aquariums of urban residents. It includes approximately 15 subspecies and belongs to the genus of decorated (lined, painted) turtles. They call her that because she is the main one distinctive feature– a red spot near the ears (yellow in some subspecies).

The shell is 18-30 centimeters long. In youth it has a bright green shell color, which darkens with age. There are bright green stripes on the head and limbs. Males differ from females in their larger and more massive tail and nail plate.

In nature they live in the USA (Virginia, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico), Mexico and Central American countries and Caribbean, in South America (Colombia, Venezuela).

Can also be found in Australia, South Africa, Arizona, Guadeloupe, Israel, Spain, and Great Britain. Lives in lakes and ponds with marshy shores. Leads a sedentary and lazy lifestyle. For comfortable living in your terrarium, maintain the water temperature 22-28 degrees, air temperature – 30-32 degrees.

There are 13 subspecies of the European marsh turtle. Their carapace is low, convex, and smooth. They reach a length of up to 35 centimeters and a weight of up to one and a half kilograms.

The carapace is dark green or dark olive in color, the plastron is light. Small spots on the head, neck, shell and paws (yellow specks). The claws on the paws are quite large, and there are membranes between the toes. In adult turtles, the length of the tail is up to ¾ the size of the shell, and in small turtles it is even longer!

Meet a European swamp turtle possible on the territory of Russia (Crimea, Yaroslavl region, Smolensk, Bryansk, Tula, Oryol, Belgorod, Lipetsk, Voronezh, Samara, Saratov region, upper Don, Mari El Republic, Trans-Urals, central and southern regions), Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, Central and Southern Europe, the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Asia, Turkey, northern Iran and northwest Africa.

IN natural environment Prefers habitat in ponds and lakes with muddy bottoms. Activity occurs during the daytime. The water temperature in the terrarium is 22-25 degrees, the air temperature is 30. The species is listed in the Red Book.

Reaches a total length of up to 30 centimeters (25 centimeters of which is the shell). The carapace is flat, oval, brown-green in color with yellow stripes. There are also stripes on the paws and on the head. You can distinguish a male from a female by the tail (in females it is shorter and thinner), and by the concave carapace of the male.

Caspian turtles live in southern Europe (Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus), western Asia, in the north-west of the Arabian Peninsula (Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia), in the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq.

In nature, it settles in reservoirs, both fresh and brackish water, near which there is coastal vegetation. And these turtles can climb mountains to heights of up to 1800 meters above sea level and live up to 30 years! In captivity, the air temperature in the terrarium is 30-32 degrees, the water temperature is 18-22 degrees.

Chinese trionix (Far Eastern tortoise). There are exceptions to any rule. Chinese Trionix is ​​proof of this. We are all used to seeing turtles with a classic hard shell. The Chinese Trionix is ​​soft.

The dimensions of the shell reach 20 centimeters, it is soft, leathery, without any scutes. Green color. But this is not all that can surprise an unprepared person in this unique representative of the turtle order.

They have three toes on their paws. On the face instead of a nose there is a proboscis. And if you pass by some pond somewhere in China and see such a proboscis sticking out of the water, you know that this is a Trionix turtle sticking out to get a fresh portion of oxygen.

Despite all their vulnerability and cuteness, the jaws of the Chinese trionyx have sharp cutting edges with which they grab their prey.

The amazing qualities of this turtle also include its speed of movement and reaction. This is not your classic turtle, barely moving around the house.

It is dangerous for humans due to its nature: Trionics turtles are quite aggressive, bite painfully and are rarely tamed. Unless they are raised in captivity from a young age. You can meet Trionix in China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, on the islands of Hainan and Taiwan, in Russian Far East, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hawaiian and Mariana Islands, Micronesia.

They prefer to live in rivers with weak currents, lakes and canals. In eastern countries - China, Japan, Korea - it is highly valued for its meat and served as a delicacy. In captivity, the water temperature in the terrarium should reach 26 degrees, the air temperature - 30-32.

Based on materials from: gerbils.ru

Types of aquarium turtles

You can look at aquarium turtles in a photo or in their natural form in a store, and choose a pet based on your aesthetic preferences. There are no big differences in the content of different breeds of such amphibians.

Types of aquarium turtles that are most often found in aquaterrariums:

• Swamp turtle
• Long-necked turtle
• Mud turtle

The last one is the smallest. An adult reaches only 10 centimeters. Accordingly, she will need a comparatively smaller home. The rest grow 2-3 times larger at home. All these amphibians have good eyesight, react to movement, distinguish smells and tastes. At the same time, turtles are somewhat deaf, their ears are covered with folds of skin.

Keeping turtles in aquariums

When thinking about how to care for aquarium turtles, you should consider that they need full life you need both water and land. Well, it’s not for nothing that biologists called them amphibians! The minimum dimensions of an aquaterratium should be 160 centimeters in length, 60 centimeters in width and 80 centimeters in height. For a musk turtle, these dimensions can be halved.

Caring for an aquarium turtle will require the arrangement of three zones: a pond, land and “shallow water”. Dry land should occupy up to a third of the area of ​​the aquaterrarium. Cute amphibians climb onto it to warm themselves. The shallow water area (depth 3-4 centimeters) may be quite small, but it is definitely necessary. Turtles use it for thermoregulation.

Based on materials from: akvarym.com

Types of small turtles

The little turtle will the perfect pet for those who are short on time.

Little turtles are very popular exotic pets. All over the world, millions of people choose these cute, funny animals that do not require complex care and maintenance as pets.

Advantages of small turtles over other pets

The little turtle is ideal for both small city apartments and spacious private houses. Small, leisurely, requiring virtually no care and very unusual in appearance, turtles will become loyal friends to both restless children and calm elderly people.

If you don’t have the time or desire to walk your dog three times a day in any weather, brush your cat every week, or spend a whole day every month cleaning an aquarium with fish, purchasing a turtle would be an ideal option.

For small turtles, a 100-liter aquarium or a terrarium prepared with your own hands from a large box or old suitcase (if the turtle is an amphibian) is quite enough.

Which turtles are small

Small turtles include species of turtles that do not grow in length by more than 12-13 cm. Turtles with a body length exceeding 13-15 cm are considered large and require more complex care and maintenance conditions. There are several species of small turtles.

Flat-bodied (flat) turtles. The body length of representatives of this species varies between 6-8.5 cm, weight reaches 100-170 g. Such miniature sizes allow the turtle to feel comfortable in a small aquarium, and the fact that these turtles feed mainly on small succulents (plants containing a lot of moisture), makes caring for them very simple.

Locking turtles. Locked turtles live naturally in parts of Africa, as well as in Mexico and the United States. There are four subspecies of reclusive turtles. Yellow snapback turtles and Sonoran snapback turtles typically grow to 7.5-13 cm. Striped snapback turtles and reddish mud turtles reach 7.5-11 cm.

Musk turtles. Another type of small turtles that can be kept at home. Adults reach a maximum length of 15 cm. The genus of musk turtles has four species. The keeled musk turtle reaches 7.5-15 cm in length. The common musk turtle and the small musk turtle grow to 7.5-12.5 cm. Sternotherus depressus is 7.5-11 cm long.

Spotted turtles. This is a semi-aquatic species of turtles reaching 7.5-13 cm in length. Since this turtle is a semi-terrestrial animal, in addition to a small water aquarium, a dry aquarium or terrarium is perfect for it.

Chinese three-keeled turtles. Average length the body length of representatives of this species of turtle is 13 cm. The three-keeled turtle is an excellent choice for people who are purchasing a turtle for the first time, as it is a very calm and unpretentious animal.

Small turtles do not require large expenses for their maintenance, do not need any special care and do not take up much space in the apartment - a small 100-150-liter aquarium will be quite enough for them.

Despite the enormous popularity of these small exotic animals as pets, keeping them in captivity is illegal in some countries.

Based on materials from: vitaportal.ru

Endangered turtle species

On this moment There are several species of turtles that are either extinct or on the verge of extinction.

Galapagos tortoise or elephant tortoise. By the early 20th century, more than 200,000 Galapagos tortoises had been exterminated. Almost all natural habitats of elephant turtles were also destroyed.

This is due to the fact that actively began to develop Agriculture and there was a need for places to raise livestock. Many types of livestock were also introduced, which competed with turtles for food.

Since the early 20th century, much effort has been made to restore the elephant turtle population. Captive-bred turtles were released in their respective areas. natural habitat. Today the number of such turtles is more than 20,000 individuals.

Leatherback turtle. About 30 years ago, there were more than 117 thousand females of such turtles. Now their number has decreased to about 25 thousand.
This is due to the fact that leatherback turtles feed on jellyfish and dive to very great depths for them. In their natural habitats, water bodies are heavily clogged and turtles very often swallow various debris and die from this.

Swamp turtle. The only representative of turtles in Belarus. Females are distinguished by larger body sizes and a comparatively thinner tail at the base.

Protected in many European countries. The species is listed in the Red Books of Belarus and many other CIS countries.

The decline in turtle numbers in Belarus is associated with transformation and reduction in area natural places habitats following changes in natural landscapes and drainage of wetlands.

Far Eastern turtle. In most of its habitat, the Far Eastern tortoise is normal look. But in Russia, this is a rare species, the number of which in this part of its range is rapidly declining.

This is due to the fact that the Far Eastern tortoise is one of the main edible species turtles. Therefore, many poachers catch, kill and sell them. Local residents also destroy the nests and take away the eggs of Far Eastern turtles.

Poisonous turtles

Along with pet turtles, there are some species that can cause irreparable harm to your health.

Leatherback turtle. The leatherback turtle is the largest of all turtles, sometimes reaching over 2.5 meters in length. These 2,000-pound omnivores are arguably the widest-growing vertebrates on Earth, but their populations are declining every year due to industrial development, pollution and being caught as bycatch.

These turtles are usually quite gentle giants, however if disturbed they can bite and their bite can break bones as they are very strong and powerful. In one strange case, a huge leatherback turtle, likely weighing more than 680 kilograms, directed its aggression towards the small boat and rammed it. Shortly before, the turtle was being chased by a shark, so it considered the boat a potential threat.

Fringed turtle (mata-mata). Amazon South America famous for its incredible and sometimes creepy creatures. In the same river as piranhas and river dolphins lives a bizarre fringed turtle.

What will happen if a person steps on a fringed turtle is unknown, but this strange river reptile has an elongated, snake-like neck and a strange mouth, which contains two sharp plates that resemble human teeth fused together. This uniquely creepy carnivore's lunch menu includes waterbirds, fish and other reptiles.

We can only imagine what will happen to a person who reaches out from the boat to touch the strange lump visible from the water...

Big-headed turtle. The big-headed turtle is a bizarre-looking creature with a long, snake-like tail that is almost as long as its body. This turtle is endemic to Southeast Asia, where it hunts a variety of prey in rivers.

The large head does not retract into the shell, and is equipped with very powerful jaws. If a turtle feels threatened, it will not hesitate to use its beak, which can crush bones, so it is better to keep your distance from them. Incredibly, this creature, living in Asia, is able to climb trees, where it can sit like a bird. Unfortunately this amazing creature is endangered due to poaching, which must be constantly combated.

Soft-bodied turtles. Looking like flattened human-reptile hybrids from alien horror films, soft-bodied turtles compensate for their lack of shell with a very strong bite. Among the many species of soft-shelled turtles from around the world, the most feared is the large Cantor's soft-shelled turtle, endemic to China.

She hides in the sand, waiting for prey, and then jumps out and bites the prey with sharp teeth. The turtle's sheer size and the force of its bite can cause horrific injuries. However, this species is unfortunately currently endangered. However, more common species of softshell turtles, such as the evil trionix, can be found throughout the world and are quite capable of biting an unwary fisherman.

Based on materials: bugaga.ru

I hope you received today Full description what types of turtles there are. We figured out all their diversity and have already planned a pet for the future. Well, I say goodbye to you.

Kawabanga, friends!

Turtles live on the Black Sea coast of Russia, which theoretically could have seen Russian tsars relaxing at resorts. Will these reptiles even see the near future?

Older than dinosaurs are turtles

Text and photos: Mark Pestov, National Geographic

That means he remembered me too. The merchant knew that when Rosprirodnadzor employees seized nine young turtles from him in 2010 at the central market of Novorossiysk, this was done at our instigation.

“We” are participants in a project launched in 2006 with the support of International Fund Animal Welfare (IFAW), the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and the American Rufford Foundation (RSGF). Project “Attention, turtle!” dedicated to the conservation of the Mediterranean turtle Testudo graeca, which is found in North Africa, Southern Europe, South-West Asia and the Caucasus - but with black sea ​​coast The Caucasian species is now rapidly disappearing.

Turtles are the most ancient of the living reptiles. They appeared about 200 million years ago - much earlier than dinosaurs. Moreover, turtles managed to survive the Mesozoic catastrophe, which supposedly killed ancient lizards about 65 million years ago, and survive to this day, almost unchanged. They are potential long-livers; scientists reliably know a gigantic tortoise that lived 152 years, and a Mediterranean tortoise that lived 125 years. However, in front of humans, turtles, seemingly so well protected from any dangers, turned out to be defenseless. Today, many species of turtles are listed in the Red Books different levels– from regional to international.

There are about 250 species of turtles in the world, 40 of them are land turtles. Among the land animals, the largest are the Galapagos elephant and giant tortoises. The height of these giants in meter-long shells is 60 centimeters, they weigh more than 100 kilograms, and individual giants - up to 400 kilos.

At the other end of the scale is the spider turtle from Western Madagascar, one of the rarest and smallest species: this baby weighs only 100 grams and does not exceed 10 centimeters in length.

Only four species of turtles are found in Russia (three more species of sea turtles occasionally swim into our territorial waters). Of these four species, only one is terrestrial - the same Mediterranean turtle Testudo graeca. It is included in international list protected species, in the CITES Convention list and in the Red Book Russian Federation in category "1". Its numbers are steadily declining, and some populations are on the verge of extinction.

Utrish is home. Among such populations are Mediterranean tortoises, identified by experts as an independent subspecies - Nikolsky's tortoise. Nikolsky’s turtles chose a good place to live - the foothills of the Western Caucasus in the territory Krasnodar region, as well as Abkhazia. It is clear that there are many other hunters to these resort areas - so the range of Nikolsky’s turtles is constantly fragmented, habitats are destroyed, and the turtles themselves are actively caught for illegal sale.

Turtles with fragile shells often become prey for dogs and pigs and die under the wheels of cars. Or, for example, in Gelendzhik after a television appeal to local residents Teachers from the after-school education center contacted us. They handed us two adult Mediterranean tortoises and told us that they had taken them from boys on the outskirts of the city. They made a fire, and the turtles, turned upside down, lay nearby awaiting their sad fate. It seems that the young “naturalists” wanted to check whether the shell would protect animals from fire. We released these two turtles, but the goal of our project, of course, is broader - to save the subspecies.

The territory of the Abrau Peninsula, located between Anapa and Novorossiysk, is not just picturesque - it is biologically unique. Here, as well as on the southern slope of the Markotkhsky ridge between Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik, the true subtropics of the Northern Mediterranean have been preserved. To protect them, the Utrish Nature Reserve was created in 2010.

Unfortunately, the Markotkhsky ridge itself did not receive the status of a specially protected area. natural area, and 120 hectares of the sea coast and water area in the lagoon area, which were given for long-term lease in 2008, were excluded from the reserve on the Abrau Peninsula. Also, the reserve did not include two “corridors”, future roads to the lagoons that would cut the protected area.

The reserve is the main place of residence for Nikolsky’s tortoise. 5-6 thousand individuals - this is 20-30 percent of the entire subspecies - could call Utrish their home. The ratio of females to males here is close to the ideal 1:1. In 2011–2012, together with the staff of the reserve, we began a detailed study of this population.

How to save turtles. May, midday, hot... For about an hour I have been wandering along the top of the hill, where my colleagues tagged about 20 turtles in previous years. However, so far I have not met one, which is not surprising - most of The hill is covered with dense thickets of blackberries, it is quite difficult to detect a secretive turtle in them...

Suddenly an unusual sound is heard in the forest. I hear several distinct knocks, as if someone is knocking lightly on wood, at intervals of two to three seconds. After a short break, the sound resumed, it clearly came from the blackberry thickets. I myself have never heard anything like this before, but in the literature similar description met. Having found a path in the thickets made by cows and not yet completely overgrown with thorns, I make my way along it - and find a small clearing, which was chosen by two large turtles. The male pursues the female and periodically knocks the front edge of his shell on the shell of the chosen one, forcing her to crawl out from under the bush on open place. Rare luck!

Having studied the Utrish population, we have prepared recommendations for the protection of turtles. The most important of them is to prevent paved roads from cutting into the territory of the reserve, and also to add to it the lagoon area, which is important not only for turtles, but also for the preservation of the local unique natural complex generally.

Specifics life strategy turtles are such that a huge number of cubs die in infancy: they can be eaten by anyone - a crow, a rat, a raccoon, a dog, a pig... A solution could be a turtle nursery: here you can protect the babies, and then, when grown up and stronger, return them to the wild nature. Similar nurseries exist in many countries - Italy, Spain, Turkey - and have already proven themselves well as guarantors of survival rare species turtles. In 2009, in the Safari Park of Gelendzhik, we managed to create a rehabilitation center for Mediterranean turtles seized from illegal sale or donated by local residents.

Testudo graeca is often found here on busy highways, areas of new buildings and unauthorized landfills - the city continues to invade the original habitats of animals... A suitable place for the rehabilitation center was chosen, primarily because the territory of the Safari Park is inhabited by natural and completely viable turtle population. Three spacious enclosures have already been built, housing two dozen adult Mediterranean turtles.

In 2012, a very important event took place for us: for the first time, turtles were born to the inhabitants of the enclosure. This means that over time, the rehabilitation center has every chance of becoming a full-fledged nursery, and young turtles raised there can be released into the wild, supporting the existence of declining populations...

They appeared long before humans, 200 million years ago, when they roamed the Earth huge dinosaurs. These are the ancient inhabitants of the turtle planet, who have not changed at all for hundreds of thousands of years. True, their numbers have decreased sharply.

These animals can be found everywhere except cold Antarctica and North Pole. At the moment, more than three hundred species of turtles are known, and they live on land, in water and even in. There are so-called semi-aquatic turtles that live both on land and in water.

Sea turtles spend all their time in the water and only come ashore to lay eggs. Desert - in the heat of the day they climb into the shade or bury themselves in the sand and sit there until dusk and the long-awaited coolness.

The size of animals depends on climate and living conditions. The largest ones, whose weight reaches up to 200 kilograms, live on Galapagos Islands and in the Indian Ocean.

Turtles are the only representatives of reptiles that have durable shell which protects them from enemies in wildlife. When in danger, the animal hides in its “protective suit” and becomes inaccessible to predators. But unfortunately this does not always happen. For example, a hawk, having grabbed a turtle, lifts it high into the air and throws it onto the rocks until the shell cracks. Crocodiles and hyenas can bite through the shell with their powerful teeth. Here nothing can save the turtle - it becomes the prey of a predator.

The ancient inhabitants of the planet themselves feed on mollusks, earthworms and cacti. Aquatic turtles eat algae, small fish and frogs.

When there is a lot of food, and this happens in the warm season, turtles lead an active life, but in winter it freezes. Animals hide in holes underground or burrow into the mud at the bottom of reservoirs.

Turtles have sharp vision and respond well to bright colors. They also have an excellent sense of smell, with the help of which they easily find food, communicate with relatives and navigate the area. All turtles have excellent hearing, especially those that live in water.

Legends say that in the evenings turtles come out of the water and sing. Whether this is true or not is not known for sure, but it has been established that they react to the intonation of the human voice. You can easily check this if you have such a four-legged pet in your home. If you talk to a turtle in a gentle and calm voice, it will stretch its neck and listen to you. And if you scold her in a sharp and shrill voice, she will hide in her shell, thereby expressing her displeasure.

Everyone probably knows that turtles are very slow. There are even comparisons that can be heard from a person’s lips: “Why are you fiddling around like a turtle” or “Let’s go faster, otherwise you’re crawling like a turtle.” It turns out that not all of them are like that.

Sea turtles can swim at a speed of 30 km. at one o'clock! And the snapping turtle can rush at the enemy with lightning speed. A slow life, in which little energy is spent, helps these animals survive and live long. And they live 150 and 200 years!

Even in ancient times, turtles attracted the attention of people. Cities, lakes, and islands are named in their honor. And the favorite dish of the Indians and natives has always been turtle soup. For many centuries, various products were made from turtle skin, and therefore these animals were destroyed.

At present, the ancient inhabitants of the turtle planet are on the verge of extinction, which means they need to be protected.

Now let's smile!

I hope you know what lies behind the word grooming? ...

Turtles appeared on our planet about 200 million years ago, and about 135 million years ago, that is, in the Cretaceous period, scientists believe there were about 26 families of turtles on Earth (currently there are only 12 of them). Interestingly, turtles have remained virtually unchanged since then.

The closest relatives of modern turtles, Proganochelis, lived in Europe and Asia during the Late Triassic period (200 million years ago). It is worth noting that these animals, like turtles, had a tortoiseshell-type shell and beak. However, unlike modern turtles, Proganochelis did not have the ability to retract its head and limbs into its shell. However, they did not need this, since the head and legs of these reptiles were protected by hard scales.

Currently, there are 5 suborders of turtles, 3 of which are major: side-necked, cryptonecked and shieldless turtles. The other two suborders trace their origins to the cryptonecked turtles.

Some researchers classify the leatherback sea turtle as a special suborder of shieldless turtles, which differ from all other turtles not only in appearance, but also internal structure. Their shell, unlike that of other turtles, consists of a layer of small interconnected polygonal bony plates and is not fused to the spine and ribs.

In addition, the shell of the leatherback sea turtle is covered on top with skin with many small horny scutes. Moreover, with age, the skin becomes smooth and even. Many scientists believe that the ancestors of leatherback sea turtles were Archelon ischyros, animals that lived in the seas of South Dakota more than 65 million years ago. The fossilized remains of this giant (weighing about 3 tons, up to 4 m long) were found in the flatlands of the central states of the United States, where the waters of the Niobar Sea once stretched. It is worth noting that the evolution of turtles belonging to different suborders proceeded independently of each other, therefore in their structure and appearance there are very significant differences.

For example, side-necked and cryptonecked turtles appeared during the Middle Triassic, and the names of these reptiles indicate the ways in which they retract their heads under their shells. Side-necks fold their neck horizontally, bending it like an S and pressing it to the base of the limb, while hidden-necks fold it vertically.

Side-necked turtles have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, as evidenced by the remains of the inhabitants found during excavations. Cretaceous period.

Currently, side-necked turtles are found only in the Southern Hemisphere of our planet: Africa, Australia, New Guinea, Madagascar and South America.

Hidden-necked turtles, or cryptodires, are the most common group of turtles. It is believed that during the Middle Triassic period these animals lived only in swampy areas, but over time they adapted to live both on land, including desert and forest-steppe areas, and in water. In addition, their survival was facilitated by the fact that they ate a variety of food - plant and animal.

About 150–200 million years ago, in Jurassic period, from the group of cryptonecked turtles, a suborder of soft-bodied turtles emerged. These animals adapted to life in water, and gradually their shell became less massive, thanks to which the animals acquired the ability to swim at a fairly high speed. Currently, softshell turtles are considered the fastest of all species. They are able to move at high speed not only in aquatic environment, but also on land.

The ancestors of snapping turtles lived in the Eocene, that is, approximately 38–55 million years ago. Having examined the fossil remains of these animals, scientists came to the conclusion that the shell of ancient snapping turtles was quite soft, and therefore the reptiles could not defend themselves in the event of an attack by predators and, in order not to become their prey, preferred to attack first, showing aggressiveness unusual for turtles. By the way, modern snapping turtles behave in a similar way. That is why they are not kept in home terrariums.

The so-called horned turtle is considered one of the most unusual in the evolutionary chain of turtles, about which controversy has not ceased in scientific circles for a long time. The fact is that some scientists classify horned turtles as... dinosaurs, while most scientific experts classify these extinct animals as reptiles.

The appearance of the horned turtles was truly terrifying. The animals reached 5 m in length. These reptiles had a huge tail, the same length as the shell, with two rows of bone spikes, clearly used for protection from enemies. The turtle's skull was triangular in shape, with long, slightly blunted horns directed sideways and backwards, which the animal also used for protection. There are holes in the front and back of the shell into which the animal can remove its limbs and head in case of danger. In some species of turtles, movable parts of the shell can completely cover one or both openings if necessary.