Happy #WorldTurtleDay, everyone! Nearly half of more than the 300 species of turtles are threatened with extinction - a plight equaled only by primates. Turtles and tortoises are threatened by the exotic food trade, habitat destruction, global warming and the pet trade.
The illegal pet trade is significantly harming turtles of all kinds, as demand for turtles in pet stores remains high and continues to exceed demand for turtle adoption. In the illegal pet trade, turtles and tortoises are removed from their natural habitat and transported long distances to be sold, often in unsafe conditions.
Naturally turtles are best known for their shells, which serve as a very effective defence against predators. However, various types of turtle have adapted in more unusual ways too. The pancake tortoise, for example, is gifted with a more ‘flexible’ and thin shell, allowing it to manoeuvre quickly into protective rock crevices rather than retreat into its own shell. The African helmeted turtle (aka Pelomedusa subrufa), meanwhile, uses a strong odour to repel predators.
While many turtles & tortoises are herbivores (or predominantly plant eating omnivores), many are also pretty powerful hunters. Although there are no known human deaths, it's best to avoid the bite of the alligator snapping turtle, one of the most infamous species of biting turtles. The 'snap' of the freshwater alligator snapping turtle can bite a human's fingers clean-off!
There are a number of ways you can help endangered and threatened turtles. Go here to find out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3326107.html