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Tortoise Facts & Worksheets

A tortoise is a terrestrial turtle belonging to the Testudinidae family, Testudines order, and Cryptodira suborder. They are one of the longest-living animals in the world.

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A tortoise is a terrestrial turtle belonging to the Testudinidae family, Testudines order, and Cryptodira suborder. They are one of the longest-living animals in the world.

See the fact file below for more information on the tortoise, or you can download our 27-page Tortoise worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Introducing the Gentle, Hard-Shelled Tortoise

  • Tortoises belong to the order of Testudines or Chelonia.
  • These reptiles have bodies encased in a bony shell.
  • Testudines includes turtles and tortoises. They come from the same order, but there are several distinct differences.
    • Tortoises are a non-swimming species; they are land creatures living in a variety of habitats, from tropical forests to deserts, whereas turtles are adapted for life in water.
    • Tortoise shells are rounder and more domed than turtle shells
    • Tortoises’ feet are padded and stumpy, resembling tiny elephant feet, to carry their weight on land. Turtle feet are webbed for aquatic use. 
    • Tortoises are generally herbivores, whereas turtles are omnivores, eating plant matter, insects, and small fish/jellyfish. 
  • Both tortoises and turtles have existed since 300 million years ago.
  • There are nearly 50 species of tortoises, and they range in size from tiny to huge. 

Physical Characteristics

  • Tortoises have shells that house their soft body parts.
  • The shell is made of two parts, the rounded upper part over the top of the body and the flatter one underneath the body.
  • These two shell parts are fused on each side with what is called a bridge.
  • The top part of the shell is called a carapace.
  • The carapace is covered with large, hard scales called scutes which are made of keratin, the same as human nails.
  • Scutes protect the shell from injury.
  • This underside shell is called a plastron.
  • As a tortoise grows, extra layers of keratin are added, leaving growth rings.
  • You can tell the age of a tortoise by these rings.
  • Tortoise shells are very sensitive, so they are able to feel anything that touches their shell. 
  • Tortoises with light-colored shells come from warmer places. The sulcata, for instance, has a light tan shell and comes from the Sahara Desert.
  • Tortoises can retract their head, feet, and tail into their shell for protection.
  • Tortoises have no teeth, so they chew their food using tough ridges in their mouths.
  • Tortoises have no ears, but they have two tiny holes on the sides of their heads.
  • On the roof of their mouths is what is called Jacobson’s organ.
  • Jacobson’s organ is a vomeronasal organ giving tortoises a sharp sense of smell. Tortoises can smell even the faintest of scents.
  • They circulate air that passes through their nose by pumping their throats.
  • Tortoises are sensitive to bright colors.

Distribution, Habitat, and Diet

  • Tortoises are found in southern North America and southern South America. 
  • They are also found around the Mediterranean basin, across Eurasia to Southeast Asia, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and some Pacific islands. 
  • Tortoises are not found in Australasia.
  • Tortoises live in diverse habitats. Many species occupy semi-arid habitats, including deserts, arid grasslands, and scrub. Some species, however, live in wet, evergreen forests and from sea level to mountains. 
  • Tortoises are generally herbivores/vegetarians who eat flowers, foliage, and fruits.
  • Different species vary significantly in their nutritional requirements.
  • Species in moist forest habitats also consume insects and worms found in their habitat. 
  • Pet tortoises require specific diets based on leafy greens, wild grasses, and certain flowers.

Reproduction and Young

  • A tortoise’s sex can only be seen when it reaches a certain size.
  • However, there are other ways to tell if a tortoise is male or female, by their shells and by their tails.
  • Females generally have flattering plastrons, and males tend to have longer tails.
  • Tortoises reach sexual maturity between 10 and 20 years of age.
  • Males try to get the attention of females for mating by ramming their shells and biting their feet.
  • After mating, the females can store a male’s sperm for three or four years until they use it to fertilize their eggs.
  • The number of eggs laid also depends on the species. It ranges from one egg to 20 eggs.
  • Egg-laying usually takes place at night, in a burrow or pre-dug hole.
  • The mother then covers the eggs with soil, sand, and organic material, and the eggs are left unattended to incubate.
  • In most species, incubation periods are long, with the average period being around 100 days.
  • Fully formed hatchlings use their egg tooth to break out of the shell. 
  • It digs its way up to the surface and begins a life of survival on its own.
  • The young have an embryonic egg sac which serves as a source of nutrition for the first three to seven days until they have the strength and mobility to find food. 
  • Juvenile tortoises require different nutrients, so they eat different food from adults. 

Species Differences

  • The largest tortoise species is the Galapagos tortoise. They can be over 5 ft (152 cm) in length and weigh more than 500 lb (226 kg). Its color is blackish gray.
  • The Aldabra giant tortoise, found in the Aldabra atoll in Seychelles, is also a large species of tortoise. Their average size is 48 inches (122 cm) in length, and they are brown or tan in color. 
  • The sulcata tortoise in the Sahara desert is black and yellow. Its length is up to 33 in (83 cm), it can weigh up to 200 lb (90 kg), and it can live for up to 100 years.
  • The Speckled Cape tortoise is the world’s smallest species measuring only 2.7 in (6.8 cm) long. The shell is brown to orange with serrated edges and covered in black spots.   
  • The red-footed tortoise and the yellow-footed tortoise from South America are popular pets. They grow to about 12 in (30 cm) and are known for their bright yellow, orange, and red markings.

Interesting Characteristics

  • Although tortoises can’t swim, they can hold their breath underwater for long periods because they can tolerate carbon dioxide.
  • Tortoises are cold-blooded and get warmth from their environment. This is why they like sunbathing.
  • Tortoises are diurnal, meaning they’re active during the day and asleep at night, and they tend to be loners.
  • Tortoises are experts at getting all the water and nutrients they need from what they eat.
  • Their hindgut system separates water from waste, which is handy when water is scarce.
  • The Indian star tortoise is an endangered species from India and Sri Lanka. They are fairly small at about 10 in (25 cm) with a yellow and black shell.   
  • The pancake tortoise is a species with a flattened shell and is native to Kenya and Tanzania. It is tiny at about 7 in (18 cm), brown and gold, and sadly is critically endangered. 

Tortoise Trivia

  • The tortoise is the symbol of the Greek god Hermes.
  • Charles Darwin once had a pet Galapagos tortoise named Harriet. Harriet ended up at the zoo founded by the parents of Steve Irwin, the famed Crocodile Hunter.
  • In 1968, the Soviet Union launched a spacecraft with tortoises on board. It went around the Earth and safely returned back.
  • Sailors used to eat the meat of tortoises they captured in the Galapagos Islands.
  • The Galapagos Islands were named after the Galapagos tortoises by the Spanish, who found the islands in 1535.
  • A group of tortoises is known as a creep.
  • The lifespan of a tortoise ranges from 90 to 250 years.
  • Most tortoises hibernate in the winter.
  • Tortoises hide in their shells when they’re startled.
  • Tortoises exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females are distinctly different from each other in terms of appearance. Females are typically larger in size than males.
  • Tortoiseshell has long been used as an ornamental material for jewelry, art objects, and items such as combs and eyeglass frames.

Tortoise Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about tortoises across 27 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use Tortoise worksheets are perfect for teaching students about a tortoise, a terrestrial turtle belonging to the Testudinidae family, Testudines order, and Cryptodira suborder. They are one of the longest-living animals in the world.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Tortoise Facts
  • Tortoise Basics
  • Turtle or Tortoise
  • What I Look Like
  • Tortoise or False
  • Name The Species
  • Match Me!
  • Sketch and Label
  • Last Word
  • Word Hunt
  • Tortoise Trivia

Frequently Asked Questions

Do tortoises make good pets?

Tortoises can make good pets. They are low-maintenance but also shy, docile creatures. As exotic creatures, they have specific needs, so read up on them before acquiring one.

Do Tortoise Bite? 

Tortoises do not have teeth, but they do have a sharp ridge on the front of their mouth that acts like a pair of garden shears when eating food, so their bite can hurt.  

What do tortoises eat?

Tortoises eat grasses, fruits, plants, vegetables, and fungi in the wild. When tortoises hibernate, they do not eat for weeks as their metabolism slows down.

Can you eat tortoise meat?

People have eaten tortoise meat for hundreds of years. On islands where tortoise populations are high, they have long been used as food, and it is said that some primitive rainforest inhabitants also enjoy a meal of tortoise meat.

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Link will appear as Tortoise Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 7, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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