Animals

Monday, 12 October 2026
27 facts about turtles
27 facts about turtles
The only vertebrates so armored
The first turtles appeared on Earth at the end of the Permian about 240 million years ago. Although the first ones had neither plastron nor carapace, ...

Did you know?

Siberian roe deer
They are native to northeastern Asia.
It can also be found in Kazakhstan and certain parts of Kyrgyzstan, mainly the Tian Shan Mountains.
American robin
Female lays from three to five eggs.
Eggs are blue and are incubated by female only. After 14 days of incubation young robins hatch. They ...
Saola
They are one of the world’s rarest mammals.
Their current population is estimated at below 750 individuals.
Arabian oryx
Oryxes inhabit a variety of very dry desert habitats.
Their foraging grounds include rocky deserts and rocky sandy areas, sand dunes, and barren steppes. They are diurnal and usually live in herds of up to a dozen animals.
Horseshoe crab
During the breeding season, horseshoe crabs migrate to shallow coastal waters.
The smaller male clings to the back of the larger female with specialized front claws and fertilizes the eggs, which are then deposited in the sand.
Southern cassowary
They are speedy runners.
Adult cassowaries can run up to 50 km (31 mi) per hour.
Quokkas
There are approximately 20,000 quokkas left in the world.
Their population was decimated during a wildfire in Western Australia in 2015.
Turtles
The largest turtle known so far was Archelon ischyros.
The body length of this marine giant was as long as 4.5 m and its weight was about 2.2 t. It lived a ...
Gila monster
The young typically enter the brumation after hatching.
The average size of a hatchling is 15 centimeters long. It is fully independent, which includes the ability to use its venom straight away.
Wombat
Wombats' lifespan is an average of 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.
The species is not in danger of extinction, except in the Victoria region. Nevertheless, hunting of these animals has been restricted.