(The familiar box turtle also hibernates, but on land.) An Australian species, the Fitzroy River turtle, hardly ever surfaces, but obtains oxygen from water pumped through its cloaca, or posterior ...

1. They’re faster than you think! While large turtles are pretty slow on land due to their size and weight, smaller ones have been known to sprint when necessary, reaching speeds of up to 1km/h ...

Most turtles are aquatic or semi-aquatic, while tortoises live on land. Tortoises, however, are often good swimmers. Turtles are among the most endangered vertebrates. Habitat destruction, illegal ...