There are around 360 species of turtles in this order. Turtles have been around for over 200 million years.

They are famous for their hard shells, which act like a built-in shield to protect them from predators. The shell is made of two parts: the carapace (top) and the plastron (bottom), and is connected to their skeleton.

Turtles are cold-blooded, which means their body temperature depends on their environment. They can live in different habitats, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and on land.

Some turtles are excellent swimmers, while others are better at walking on land.

Unlike many reptiles, turtles do not have teeth. Instead, they have beaks that help them eat plants, insects, fish, or other foods depending on their species. Turtles also lay eggs on land, even if they spend most of their life in water.

Turtles grow slowly and often live for a long time, with some species reaching over 100 years old.