Five Facts We Bet You Didn't Know About Turtles!

Here at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, we absolutely LOVE all things turtles, especially our three resident sea turtles Myrtle, Dave and Choung. We think everyone should shellabrate this special species which is why we’ve put these 5 turtally terrific turtle facts together for you...

They are as old as dinosaurs!

Turtles are one of the oldest reptiles in the world and have been around for over 200 million years. That’s before dinosaurs were extinct - wow!

Who needs Google maps?

Turtles have an amazing ability to find their way back to the beach they were born on, to mate and lay their own eggs. They navigate the sea using the Earth’s magnetic field as each part of the coastline has its own magnetic signature, which they remember and use as an internal compass. Their epic migrations can take YEARS - what a memory!

Is it a Boy or Girl?

When the turtles have laid their eggs in the sand, the temperature of the sand will determine the sex of the babies. Lower temperatures will lead to males and higher temperatures will lead to females.       

Them bones, them bones

Did you know that a turtle’s shell is made up of 50 bones that form part of its skeleton? Contrary to popular belief a turtle cannot come out of its shell, neither can it ever grow too big for it as it grows with them. Their super tough shell acts as a shield to protect them from predators!

The Bold and the Old…  

The largest species of sea turtle can weigh over a whopping 900kg and they also have an incredibly long lifespan. The oldest ever recorded was 188 years old!