Día Mundial de las Tortugas – World Turtle Day

This society asks people to take an active role in conserving this ancient group of reptiles. The sea turtles, for example, are among the oldest creatures in the world, much older than snakes and lizards.

Sea and river turtles

These spend almost their entire lives in water, and some, like the leatherback, cross entire oceans. In Colombia, there are five species of the seven that exist in the oceans, all endangered: green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, Pacific ridley, olive ridley, and black from the Colombian Pacific.

The leatherback turtle, also known as the luth, canaá, cana, cardón, baula, or tinglar (Dermochelys coriacea) makes long migrations at about 35 kilometers per hour. It can reach two meters in length, weigh 700 kilograms, and live up to 45 years. Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is classified as Vulnerable Threatened Species.

This is the oldest of all sea turtle species, having inhabited the Earth for around 150 million years. It survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and until the last decades, when interactions with humans have caused its decline due to irresponsible hunting. Currently, approximately 250 species of turtles can be found.

The hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) (photo above) is a species of sea turtle from the family Cheloniidae, which is critically endangered. Currently, its conservation status according to the Red List is Critically Endangered. This is mainly due to the hunting it suffers for its exquisite meat and its shell, invaluable in crafts, despite strong international regulations protecting the species.

Matamata turtles are unique for their appearance and habits, which is why they are so expensive in exotic pet shops. PHOTO: Shutterstock

The matamata (Chelus fimbriata) is a freshwater turtle found in South America, mainly in the Amazon River and its tributaries in Peru, Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. It is the only existing species of the genus Chelus, making it truly unique. Its conservation status has not been evaluated.

Land turtles

Land turtles have a movable hinge in the lower shell that allows them to retract their limbs and head inside the shell and then close it completely, without exposing their flesh.

The Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni), named for being native to the northern coast of that sea, is one of the most popular species to keep as pets, which should not be done. It is the only land turtle with a fully European distribution. Its conservation status according to the Red List is Near Threatened.

The Mexican forest turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima) is very popular in the United States. Male forest turtles have a concave plastron (the flattened structure that forms the ventral part of the turtle's shell), while the female's is flat or convex. The male also has a thicker tail than the female. Its conservation status is Near Threatened.

The giant of Santiago (Chelonoidis darwini) is a species of turtle endemic to one of the islands that make up the Galápagos archipelago, belonging to Ecuador. It is part of the species complex known as: Chelonoidis nigra Complex. Its conservation status according to the Red List is Endangered.