A Julia butterfly on the nose of a yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador
A Julia butterfly on the nose of a yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador (© Westend61/Getty Images)
Shell yeah!
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