World Turtle Day

Every year on May 23, wildlife enthusiasts, educators, and conservationists around the world celebrate World Turtle Day. The day shines a spotlight on the care, conservation, and awareness of the oldest living reptiles in the world, and it encourages real human action to help turtles and tortoises survive and thrive. It is a day to learn, to share what you learn, and to “shellebrate” creatures that have been quietly winning the race since long before humans showed up.

World Turtle Day was founded in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, the nonprofit turtle and tortoise rescue organization based in Malibu, California. The rescue itself was established in 1990 by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, a compassionate couple whose love for animals led them to rescue and rehabilitate these gentle reptiles. By 2000, Susan and Marshall recognized that rescue alone was not enough, and that public awareness was crucial to saving turtles and their habitats. They chose May 23 for the launch, right in the month when turtles are emerging from their winter hibernation and starting the search for mates and nesting areas, and Susan trademarked the day to keep its focus firmly on conservation.

The reason the day matters is written in deep time. Turtles and tortoises have roamed the Earth for more than 200 million years, making them living glimpses of the planet’s prehistoric past. Yet despite their resilience, these ancient survivors now face modern threats: habitat destruction, the illegal pet trade, pollution, and climate change. Roughly 129 of the roughly 300 known species are endangered, and the seven sea turtle species, from the flatback to the hawksbill, face dangers from plastic filled oceans to disappearing nesting sites. Turtles also play vital ecological roles, cleaning beaches by eating dead fish, maintaining seagrass beds, and digging burrows that other species use for shelter.

Celebrating is easy, and the founders left a wonderful to do list. Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop, since that increases demand from the wild. Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured. If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and move it in the same direction it was going, because if you turn it around, it will turn right around again. Write letters to legislators asking them to protect sensitive habitat and prevent offshore drilling that endangers sea turtles. Report cruelty or illegal sales to your local animal control shelter, and remember that the sale of any turtle or tortoise under four inches is illegal throughout the United States. Small actions, multiplied by millions of turtle fans, add up to something enormous.

The celebration has a way of arriving right on time. At many wildlife centers, World Turtle Day falls at a pivotal point in what staff call “turtle season”: by mid-May, warmer temperatures allow centers to release many of the turtles that spent the winter recovering from injuries, just as a new wave of turtles emerges from hibernation and becomes active. Turtles are among the most frequently admitted patients at wildlife rehabilitation centers, with species like the Eastern Painted Turtle, the North American Snapping Turtle, and the Wood Turtle all passing through their doors. The day is a reminder that behind every statistic is an individual animal, and that human hands can be part of the rescue story, not just the threat.

Schools and families have embraced the day with wonderful creativity. The Humane Society of the United States has called for the day to focus on the special conservation needs of turtles, and classrooms often mark May 23 with turtle themed lessons, art projects, and reading time. Parents and children celebrate together with books like “Turtle Summer,” “Turtles in My Sandbox,” and “Carolina’s Story,” each one a doorway into the watery world these animals inhabit. Some celebrants even dress up as turtles for the day, a playful costume with a serious message: these gentle reptiles need friends, and today is the day to become one.

THE STORY BEHIND WORLD TURTLE DAY

🐢 Founded in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue
On May 23, 2000, Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson of American Tortoise Rescue launched World Turtle Day to bring attention to turtles and tortoises and rally global support. The couple had founded the Malibu, California nonprofit in 1990 after witnessing turtles being sold on streets, exploited as carnival prizes, and abandoned when owners tired of them. Since then, the rescue has placed thousands of turtles and tortoises into caring homes.

🌎 200 Million Years Strong
Turtles and tortoises are among the oldest living reptiles on Earth, with a lineage stretching back more than 200 million years. Their ancient legacy offers a living glimpse into Earth’s prehistoric past. Across cultures, turtles symbolize patience, resilience, and longevity, and it is not hard to see why when you look into the eyes of a creature whose ancestors watched the dinosaurs come and go.

⚠️ Ancient Creatures, Modern Challenges
Roughly 129 of the roughly 300 known turtle and tortoise species are endangered. Habitat destruction, the illegal pet trade, pollution, and climate change are the leading threats, while plastic filled oceans and disappearing nesting sites endanger sea turtles in particular. World Turtle Day exists to turn that story around through education, discussion, and research into better safeguarding practices.

🔬 Turtle Versus Tortoise
Here is the delightful scientific twist: “turtle” is used to describe any member of the order Testudines, which includes both turtles and tortoises. Generally, turtles live and swim in the sea while tortoises are land based, though there are exceptions. There are seven sea turtle species: the flatback, the olive ridley, the leatherback, the green, the loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, and the hawksbill. All have a hard carapace except the leatherback, which has bony plates beneath leathery skin.

🎉 Why May, and Why It Is Global
May is the month when turtles emerge from their winter hibernation and begin searching for mates and nesting areas, which makes it the perfect season for their celebration. The day has been embraced far beyond California: organizations in India, Australia, and many other countries host World Turtle Day events, from educational talks and awareness campaigns to beach cleanups. Some fans even dress up as turtles and help real ones cross highways safely.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

📖 Shellebrate at Home
At home, dive into turtle learning with the family: read a turtle themed book together, watch a nature documentary about sea turtles, or draw your favorite tortoise. Learn the difference between turtles and tortoises and quiz each other with the seven sea turtle species.

🤝 Join a Beach Cleanup
With friends, organize or join a beach or park cleanup to protect turtle habitats from plastic and litter. While you are at it, pledge to avoid products made from turtle shells and share what you learn about the threats these reptiles face.

💚 Be a Turtle Ally
In the community, put the founders’ advice into action: help a road crossing turtle by moving it in the direction it was going, report illegal sales or cruelty to animal control, and write your legislators about protecting sensitive habitat. Post your turtle love with #WorldTurtleDay and #Shellebrate.

Celebrate World Turtle Day

On May 23, 2027, slow down and shellebrate. Learn something new about these 200 million year old wonders, take one small action to protect them, and carry their lesson with you: patience, resilience, and steady steps win the race.