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Turtles

Jonathan stands on the lawn of Plantation House, the governor's residence in Saint Helena. The Aldabra giant tortoise holds the world record for being the oldest living land animal.

Scientists Took a Cheek Swab From the World’s Oldest Tortoise. His DNA Could Reveal Hints to Longevity

Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is about 194 years old and the oldest land animal alive today. Discoveries about his genetics could provide clues to extending lifespan in humans

The rare two-headed turtle was found at a proteted nesting site.

Two Heads Are Better Than One: Rare, Double-Headed Turtle Hatchling Discovered on Cape Cod

The tiny diamondback terrapin was brought to a wildlife center on September 17. At the time, the creature weighed about as much as a nickel

Left: An olive ridley turtle nesting near the Huntington Beach Pier. Right: Eggs laid near Seal Beach. 

In a First, Sea Turtles Were Spotted Nesting on the U.S. West Coast. Scientists Say the ‘Super’ El Niño Could Have Brought Them There

Two olive ridley turtles were found laying eggs on beaches in Southern California in September. In the Pacific Ocean, these reptiles normally nest farther south, often in Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama

A hawksbill sea turtle munches away on a sponge near Juno Beach.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Journey Under the Sea With 20 Amazing Photos of Marine Life, From Seahorses to Manta Rays to Orcas to Turtles

These Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest images feature the captivating creatures that live beneath the waves

In loud conditions, a tokay gecko adjusts its call, which is typically used to find a mate or defend territory.

Reptiles Make a Surprising Amount of Noise. Here’s What Those Sounds Might Mean, From Pops to Hoots to Bellows

Scientists are realizing that turtles, lizards and crocodilians communicate vocally more than they once thought

Experts attached a satellite transmitter to Pancake's shell, which will track its location for up to 90 days.

Good News

An Endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Named Pancake Makes a Triumphant Return to the Ocean After Months of Rehabilitation

The cold-stunned turtle was rescued last fall on Cape Cod and has since made a full recovery. The reptile, whose sex remains unknown, is estimated to be between 2 and 5 years old and weighed 11 pounds at the time of release

Gripping onto the edge of an iceberg in East Greenland, a polar bear looks out across the sea ice and sniffs the air. “The scene reflects a landscape that never stays still, where ice fractures, drifts and reforms around it,” photographer Rhiannon Lawler of the United Kingdom writes in a caption. Lawler captured the photo with a drone, keeping a safe distance from the animal.

These 16 Splendid Aerial Views Capture Wildlife From Above, Revealing the Beauty and Mystery of Nature

The second International Aerial Photographer of the Year contest selected its winners and 101 top images. Here’s a selection of the photos that spotlight animals from a new perspective

Two people wearing hot dog hats line up to watch the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2025.

From a Sea Turtle Release to an Outhouse Race, These Ten Fourth of July Traditions Celebrate America Like No Other

Revelers typically mark Independence Day with a barbecue and fireworks show, but these festivities across the country offer quirky alternatives

This illustration shows the size difference between a European pond turtle and the foot of a straight-tusked elephant.

New Research

Turtles May Have Been Tasty Snacks for Neanderthals 125,000 Years Ago. But Their Shells Were Probably the Real Prize

New research based on fragments discovered at the Neumark-Nord site in Germany suggests Neanderthals may have transformed the shells into tools

Researchers have produced hundreds of Galápagos tortoises genetically related to the extinct Floreana Island subspecies, thanks to a surprising discovery and captive breeding program.

Giant Tortoises Vanished From the Galápagos’ Floreana Island More Than 150 Years Ago. Now, Conservationists Have Brought Them Back

Researchers released captive-bred tortoises carrying the ancestry of the extinct local species

Green sea turtles are rebounding, thanks to global conservation efforts.

After Decades of Decline, Some Good News Is Here for Green Sea Turtles

The International Union for Conservation of Nature no longer considers the marine creatures endangered and has instead reclassified them as a species of least concern

A leatherback sea turtle hatchling climbs over sargassum on a beach. In a new study, researchers timed sea turtles to see how long it took them to reach the ocean when they had to traverse piles of seaweed.

Seaweed Piles Are Slowing Down Sea Turtle Hatchlings as They Make the Dangerous Trek to the Ocean

In Florida, large mats of sargassum are increasingly washing ashore, creating another obstacle for loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles, new research suggests

The only human development on Tetepare is a small research center and ecolodge on the western corner of the island, which is otherwise covered in lush rainforest and lined by coral reefs and meadows of seagrass.

Why Is Tetepare the South Pacific’s Largest Uninhabited Island?

Descendants of the island’s former inhabitants struggle to balance environmental conservation with sustaining their community’s livelihoods

An Aldabra giant tortoise stands tall. Males can weigh more than 500 pounds.

Thousands of Giant Tortoises Anchor a Thriving Ecosystem on Aldabra, a Remote Atoll in the Indian Ocean

The animals graze the vegetation into a picturesque turf, fertilize the soil with their dung and disperse seeds over large distances

Gopher tortoises are disappearing from Florida, primarily because of habitat destruction that's often tied to residential development.

A Hurricane Swept These Tortoises Across Miles of Ocean to a New Home in Florida—and Now, They’re Thriving

Park rangers say at least 84 gopher tortoises are now living at Fort de Soto Park near St. Petersburg. Prior to Hurricane Helene in September, the local population was around eight

The four hatchlings are eating and putting on weight before their public debut on April 23. Their clutch included 12 other eggs, which have yet to hatch.

At 97, Endangered Tortoise Becomes Oldest First-Time Mom of Her Species With Four New Hatchlings—and Potentially More on the Way

Proud parents Mommy and Abrazzo are both nearly 100 years old, but they’re contributing to Galápagos tortoise conservation at Philadelphia Zoo

A hatchling Kemp's ridley sea turtle

Inside the Herculean Effort to Study and Save the World’s Smallest Sea Turtle

After years of steady gains, a decades-long conservation program dedicated to the Kemp’s ridley hits rough seas

In captivity, baby loggerhead turtles do a little dance when they know food is coming.

Dancing Baby Sea Turtles Help Researchers Unravel the Mysteries of Their Navigational Superpowers

Loggerhead turtles can identify specific magnetic signatures, according to a new study, hinting at how the aquatic reptiles manage to return to the same foraging and nesting sites over and over again

Tetiaroa is a haven for wildlife, including sea turtles, crabs, seabirds, sharks, coral and fish.

Marlon Brando Wanted to Build a ‘University of the Sea.’ These Scientists Are Bringing the Late Actor’s Vision to Life

On Tetiaroa, a vibrant coral atoll dotted with sandy islets, archaeologists, marine biologists and cultural practitioners are working together to improve understanding of a unique ecosystem

Though they feed along coral reefs, hawksbills return to the beach to nest. Shane Gross, recently named 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, captured this image in Barbados.

Can a New DNA Database Help Save This Incredible Sea Turtle?

The shells of the hawksbill sea turtle have been used for luxury items for centuries, but with the species now endangered, new technology is pinpointing where protections are needed most

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