These Things May Seem The Same, But They Have Some Pretty Important Differences

Franklin The Turtle Was Actually A Tortoise

Photo credit: JOSEPH EID/AFP/PABLO COZZAGLIO/AFP/Getty Images

Turtles and tortoises are from the same reptile family, so it’s not that big a deal if you mess up the two, but there are some pretty significant differences. The major difference is that turtles love the water, and tortoises love being on dry land. Because of that, each has adapted their bodies accordingly.

A turtle’s limbs look more like fins than feet, and they are usually smaller and more aerodynamic to make swimming easier. On the other hand, tortoises can be a lot bigger. They have feet for walking, and their shell is much harder and used as a protective shield. A tortoise is also the only one who can retract their head into their shell.

Keep reading to see how geologists have created a clever word-trick to differentiate these similar things.