TURTLE OBLONGA RESCUE & REHABILITATION​ NETWORK
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Objectives
    • History
    • Patron & Committee
    • Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release stories
  • FACT SHEETS
    • Taxonomy, Anatomy, Size & Habitat
    • Diet, Life cycle, Longevity and Evolution
    • Oblong Turtle v Western Swamp Turtle
    • Turtle or Tortoise?
    • Threats
    • FAQs
  • Get involved
    • How to help
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • What to do if you admit a turtle
    • What to do if you find a Turtle
    • What to do if you find other wildlife
  • Store
    • Special Gift Donations
  • Resources
    • Children's Books
    • Reference Books
    • Documents & Publications
    • Press Releases
    • In the Media
    • Turtle Photo Gallery
    • Links
  • Contact

Turtle or Tortoise?

TORTOISES – CLUBBED FEET
  • LIVES ONLY ON LAND
  • NOT NATIVE TO AUSTRALIA
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TERRESTRIAL TURTLES - WEBBED FEET
  • LIVES IN OR NEAR WATER
  • 24 of the 49 WORLDWIDE SPECIES​
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MARINE TURTLES 
  • HAVE FLIPPERS
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Basically, turtles live in or near water whereas tortoises only go to water to drink.  Our turtles have webbed feet.  Australia has no native land tortoises. Australia has both marine (6 of the 7 species worldwide) and terrestrial or freshwater turtles (24 of the 49 species worldwide).

It is a bit confusing to see both of these names used in the literature to describe a  freshwater turtle. Basically tortoises are land creatures that usually have a domed shell, thick legs and club-like feet with no webbing between the toes.  They live on land,  eat mostly vegetables  and only need a small dish of water to drink and mostly eat vegetation.  
 
A turtle is aquatic.  Marine turtles have flippers and spend their life in the ocean only venturing onto the beach to lay eggs.  Freshwater turtles need to be in the water to feed but spend many hours a day drying out on a log or by the water. They have webbed feet with long, sharp claws and soft skin that is easily cut on rough surfaces. This double life has probably contributed to the name confusion.

If you find a sick or injured turtle, please contact one of our emergency turtle rescue numbers

Perth metropolitan areas
East                     0424 727 411
South                   0424 727 624
North                   0414 476 867

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  • About us
    • What we do
    • Objectives
    • History
    • Patron & Committee
    • Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release stories
  • FACT SHEETS
    • Taxonomy, Anatomy, Size & Habitat
    • Diet, Life cycle, Longevity and Evolution
    • Oblong Turtle v Western Swamp Turtle
    • Turtle or Tortoise?
    • Threats
    • FAQs
  • Get involved
    • How to help
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • What to do if you admit a turtle
    • What to do if you find a Turtle
    • What to do if you find other wildlife
  • Store
    • Special Gift Donations
  • Resources
    • Children's Books
    • Reference Books
    • Documents & Publications
    • Press Releases
    • In the Media
    • Turtle Photo Gallery
    • Links
  • Contact