The History of Tortoises

The History of Tortoises

At the zoo, we see huge tortoises, and we know that many people keep tortoises as pets, even the larger breeds. When we learn about the history of tortoises, we tend to grasp that they are extraordinarily ancient animals that have existed long before the humans who keep them in captivity, and will most likely exist long after we are gone. The tortoise is an interesting species to watch and observe just because of this detail. For the most part, we now know that they are at ease both on land and on water. We know how they look: stubby legs, slow movement, hard shell, and so on. 

But, in their millions of years of life, what have tortoises truly lived through? That's why we've come to investigate.

Let's get this party started. Tortoises were among the species that partially emerged from the ocean and alternated between land and sea during their history. Only sea tortoises were extinct about 200 million years ago, but turtles as we know them still exist. The tortoise's body takes on its characteristic shape during the Triassic Period. The body is mostly unchanged from here on out. 

Although, unlike the snake's evolution, the evolution of the turtle is rather simple, there are still missing linkages and the expected gigantism of most prehistoric species during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. Can you envision a massive turtle grazing on equally massive plants? Paleontologists aren't sure which prehistoric family modern turtles descended from, but they can declare with certainty that it wasn't the placodonts, as previously thought.

Tortoises have long been associated with particular religions. Vishnu is half-man and half-tortoise in Hinduism, and he sat at the bottom of the ocean after a great mythological flood. 

The tortoise was a symbol for the Greek god Hermes in ancient Greece. Turtle shells were used to make predictions in Ancient China.

Tortoises can now be found all over the world, growing to various sizes and displaying a variety of colors and patterns. Giant tortoises live on the Galapagos Islands and are said to have arrived 3 million years ago. One of the most astonishing characteristics of these turtles is their capacity to go a year without food or water. Unfortunately, the majority of the population was not saved from extinction. On long voyages, whalers and buccaneers stored them as sustenance, and their oil was used to light lamps. 

On the islands now, there are only about 25,000 wild tortoises. Fortunately, conservation initiatives are underway to protect these herbivores from human interference and other factors that have contributed to their decline.

Tortoises are typically popular in the United States. Many people consider them to be the ideal pet because they are low-maintenance. They hibernate from December to April, eat a regular and simple diet, and don't require much exercise or movement. The proper habitat and diet are frequently stressed when caring for a tortoise. Although they are not extremely gregarious creatures, they have been reported to enjoy human touch. 

If maintained alongside other tortoises, they can get aggressive, although not to the point of serious injury. They enjoy burrowing and will attempt to dig beneath any walls or fences, so make sure any enclosure is safe.