What Are the Differences Between Turtles and Tortoises?

Arianna asked, “What are the differences between turtles and tortoises?” Thanks for your question!

God created the turtle kinds on day five of creation week when he made land animals. Both turtles and tortoises are reptiles protected by bony shells. But even though they share some similarities, God created turtles and tortoises to be unique from each other in several ways.

1. Habitat: Tortoises live only on land. They can survive in a variety of habitats, from the desert to tropical islands. Turtles, on the other hand, like to get wet. Some live in the ocean (sea turtles), while you’ll find others in wetland areas like lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams.
2. Shells: Tortoises have a thick, round shell. Thinner, flatter shells help turtles swim more easily.
3. Feet: Since tortoises don’t swim, they have trunk-like legs. Because of turtles’ aquatic lifestyle, they have webbed, flippered feet.
4. Diet: Tortoises eat only plants. Turtles are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and meat (such as earthworms, small fish, and other things).

Though turtles and tortoises are similar in some ways, they each have distinct traits that help them survive in their own environments in our fallen world.

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