Among the various curiosities that animals present, we find the aspect related to their longevity. This varies from one group to another, finding us with species that live just a few hours in their adult form and with others that, on the contrary, can exceed a century of life.
In this article on our site we will talk about how long turtles live, and you will surely be surprised by some very peculiar cases. Dare to continue reading and learn about the life expectancy of turtles, both in water and on land.
How many years do gopher tortoises live?
Turtles in general are quite long-lived animals, which exceed on average 50 years of life, there are even examples of individuals that have lived more than 100 years. Now, how long do tortoises live? To answer this question we will mention specific species, since not all of them have the same life expectancy:
- Gopher or Florida tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus): is a land tortoise native to the United States, which inhabits dry, sandy soils, with generally herbaceous vegetation. The life expectancy of this species in its natural habitat is between 50 and 70 years
- Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata): Native to the United States and Mexico, this is another example of a land turtle. On average they live for about 32 years, generally reaching maximum lifespans of 37 years in the wild.
- Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii): it is a species from North America, with which something particular happens in terms of its hope of life. For every 15 eggs, only one manages to develop and reach approximately 20 years. Now, if an individual reaches this age, the chances of having a long life are very high, reaching between 50 and 80 years of life Curious, don't you think?
- Tortuga de Santiago (Chelonoidis darwini): corresponds to one of the endemic species of the Galapagos Islands, in Ecuador, and is among the type of giant land turtles, typical of the region. They are very long-lived animals, with a life expectancy ranging from 100 to 150 years
- Galapagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra): another of the species considered giant and that inhabits the Galapagos Islands. But how long do Galapagos tortoises live? As in the previous case, they can reach 150 years.
- Morocoy Turtle or Morrocoy (Chelonoidis carbonaria): this species is native to several South American countries, where it is very well distributed. It inhabits different types of forests and even savannah areas, avoiding muddy regions. Their life expectancy is around 50 years
- Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans): The species is native to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits various types of ecosystems such as forests and dry areas. The range of life in nature is from 35 to 85 years old.
As you can see, the life expectancy of tortoises is very variable depending on the species, but without a doubt we are dealing with really long-lived animals compared to other species. Keep expanding your knowledge and discover in this other article What do tortoises eat.
How long do terrapins live?
Water turtles do not escape the peculiarity of the testudines order of living so many years. Thus, they can also live a general average of 50 years. How long do sea and freshwater turtles live? Here are some examples:
- Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta): The loggerhead turtle is a marine species with a wide global distribution. Estimates of its longevity indicate that it lives in the wild between 30 and 62 years.
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas): As for the green turtle, a cosmopolitan species, its longevity is also common. In this case, the species lives for approximately 75 years in the wild.
- Hawsbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata): The hawksbill turtle, which is also widely distributed in global oceans, has a life expectancy of of between 30 and 50 years old.
- Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii): Nests mainly in North America, but migrates to waters in Europe. It has a life expectancy that can be between 30 and 50 years approximately.
- Yellow-bellied Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta): This North American native species can live around30 years old in its natural habitat, which corresponds to shallow riverbanks, minimal currents and abundant vegetation.
- Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata): it is also a species native to North America, which lives in bodies of fresh water, little deep and with some vegetation. Life expectancy is over 20 years old.
Learn more about sea turtles in this other article.
In general, as we can see, land turtles live longer than water turtles. In turn, giant tortoises tend to live longer.
How long do domestic turtles live?
The life expectancy of turtles in captivity usually varies in relation to the time they live in the wild, and is determined by the species and the conditions in which they live. Let's look at some examples:
- The Ornate Box Turtle is very susceptible to sudden changes in habitat, so if you change the place of residence of a very abruptly, soon dies in captivityIn the wild it can live up to about 40 years, but if it manages to adapt to captivity, it lives around 28 years.
- One of the most common species kept in captivity as a pet is the yellow-bellied slider turtle Your hope of life in these conditions is around 41 years old approximately, as long as adequate care is offered.
- Another example that we can mention is the gopher or Florida tortoise, which in captivity can live about 86 years old old.
- Other common species kept domestically is the Morocoy tortoise, which, under proper care conditions, can live for about 50 years.
For scientists, establishing the exact times of how long turtles live is not an easy job. Many species, mainly marine ones, can hardly be kept in captivity, something that would also go against the stability of the animal, since, for the most part, they are animals that migrate. Therefore, if you find an injured or stranded turtle, whether sea or land, it is very important to take it to a recovery center, such as the Fundación CRAM, where they will take care of it, cure it and, whenever possible, return it to its natural habitat.
On the other hand, it is important not to promote the trade in animals, since on many occasions their practices are highly unethical. However, sometimes it is possible to find turtles for adoption that can only survive in captivity, in these cases you could help and save their lives. To do this, you can consult this article: "How to take care of a turtle?".
