World Turtle Day 23 May 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.

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Today in History

Let’s protect our turtles
Turtle-y nice day for a swim
23 May 2026World Turtle Day

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12 May 2024Skiddaw, Lake District National Park
12 Aug 2025World Elephant Day
13 May 2026Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, California, United States
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Sentinel of the sea
10 Jun 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
29 Apr 2026Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal
16 Jun 2025World Sea Turtle Day
7 Apr 2025Happy International Beaver Day!
8 Jun 2024European hare
4 Mar 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Close to the wind
12 Mar 2026Juvenile sunbittern displaying at nest, Ecuador
High achievers
In a world of their own
2 Jul 2024Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
7 May 2026Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, United States
26 Jun 2025Horse Head Rock, New South Wales, Australia
Misty mountain hop
Shining city on the hill
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14 May 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
An oasis in a sea of sand
16 May 2025Endangered Species Day
Protecting Earths biodiversity for everyone
9 May 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
20 May 2026World Bee Day
9 Nov 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco