World Turtle Day May 23, 2025

World Turtle Day

No need to hurry, because today marks the 25th anniversary of World Turtle Day. Turtles and tortoises thrive in a variety of environments and are linked to wisdom and perseverance. All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. While turtles are smaller and built for swimming, tortoises are larger, heavier, and adapted for life on land. The American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) established World Turtle Day to raise awareness and protection efforts on May 23 each year. ATR has helped rehabilitate, rescue, and rehome around 4,000 turtles and tortoises, working to protect them and their disappearing habitats.

© Westend61/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 23, 2018Everybody loves World Turtle Day
May 23, 2019Come out of your shell for World Turtle Day
May 23, 2020Bask in the glow—It s World Turtle Day
May 23, 2021A palace for the public
May 23, 2022World Turtle Day
May 23, 2023World Turtle Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 29, 2025The Rainbow Houses of Houten, Netherlands
Apr 21, 2020Where do those colors come from?
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Jul 15, 2024Marine Day, Japan
Jan 4, 2021Sparkling ice diamonds on a black sandy beach
May 19, 2021A path lain with petals
Sep 13, 2020Super sandy Sweet 16
Aug 15, 2025Spotted eagle rays in the Galápagos Islands
Apr 2, 2023Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia
Jan 14, 2020Going head-to-head with winter
Sep 4, 2018What the hay?
Apr 30, 2020What kind of bird laid these eggs?
Dec 19, 2018Hezké svátky
Dec 22, 2019You ve never seen anything like this
Jun 19, 2025Happy Juneteenth!
May 5, 2021The birthplace of Cinco de Mayo
Mar 5, 2024Bangkok, Thailand
Feb 18, 2019Presidents Day in America’s front yard
Dec 10, 2019Congratulations, 2019 Nobel Prize laureates!
May 10, 2024Misool, Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
Dec 25, 2023Merry Christmas!
Jan 6, 2022Kochelsee in Bavaria
Jul 13, 2019Batten down the hatches
Mar 28, 2018Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve in Layton, Utah
May 11, 2018Celebrating Minnesota’s statehood
Jun 1, 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Aug 25, 2023National Park Service anniversary
May 3, 2020World Laughter Day—it s a hoot
Sep 23, 2022Golden jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau
Feb 16, 2018Dragon dance performed in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, China