It’s been a few years since a shocking viral video surfaced.The woman in the video was “saving a turtle” by throwing it into thewater. Unfortunately, what she believed to be a struggling baby turtle was, infact, a tortoise. That single video caused such a ruckus across the internetthat people finally began asking the right question.
Can tortoises swim? Tortoises cannot swim. At most, they can float and drift, and if they’re lucky they’ll bump into land. Some species of tortoises can swim poorly, but most will simply sink and drown.
While it is sad that so many people throw tortoises into thewater believing they’re saving a baby turtle, the viral video did help. It shedsome light on this unintentionally cruel practice. Below, we’ll explore thesubject in more detail and help demystify the mix up so fewer tortoises areharmed.
Why can turtles swim but tortoises can’t?
The confusion over the swimming abilities of tortoises andturtles comes from the fact both animals are reptiles and have very similarappearances. The differences between turtles and tortoises can be so slightthat it’s difficult for the layman to spot.
But if tortoises and turtles are so similar that it’s hardto tell them apart, why can turtles swim but tortoises can’t?
The answer lies in their physiology.
Flippers and Feet
The biggest physical reason that turtles can swim and tortoisescan’t is the difference in their appendages. Turtles have flippers with just acouple claws. The flippers help propel them in water.
Tortoises, on the other hand, have bent legs with clawedtoes. They look more like stumpy elephant feet. These limbs are much moresuited for land travel than water.
If you compare photos of sea turtles and tortoises, you’llsee that the tortoise’s bent legs and clawed toes are designed to lift theheavy, shelled body up off the ground a significant amount. The sea turtle,however, must drag itself across the land because their fins and webbed toesweren’t meant for land travel.
Shell Shapes
Another big factor in swimming ability is shell shape andweight. Turtles have a flattened, lighter, streamlined shell made for slipperysea travel. By comparison, the tortoise has a heavy, domed shell that preventssafe water travel.
Why do people get them confused?
Many people who have tried to save a baby turtle and endedup hurting a tortoise made the mistake in identity because of the tortoise’slocation. The gopher tortoise, for example, often nests in and around the dunesnot far from sea turtle nesting areas.
Hatchlings from both reptiles can sometimes be seen near oneanother. While the baby sea turtles are racing toward the water, the babygopher tortoises are just out for a stroll or getting some sun. Well-meaningpeople try to “help” by bringing all the hatchlings to the water,without realizing some of them are actually land-dwelling tortoises.
Will a tortoise drown in water?
The sad truth is that yes, a tortoise is likely to drown inthe water. They just aren’t designed to swim well, if at all. There is a slightchance that a tortoise may survive an accidental dip in the water, but theconditions must be just right.
For example, a tortoise thrown into the ocean will probablydrown. Yet, a tortoise placed gently on top of still water—such as a pond orlake—has a chance to survive. It just needs to stay afloat and hope it driftsclose enough to shore to climb out.
Please don’t try this at home!
Sometimes tortoises don’t drown
Even though most tortoises are more likely to drown thannot, there have been a few rare cases where the tortoise somehow survivedextended time in or under the water. A search of any tortoise social group willturn up a handful of miracle stories involving a tortoise surviving what shouldhave been a deadly encounter with deep water.
Some stories begin with a tortoise escaping an outdoorenclosure and falling into a pond, while others talk about a tortoise visitinga pet turtle’s enclosure and falling into the water. Another curious storyinvolved a heavy rain and a tortoise getting stuck in a deep puddle for about20 minutes.
How did these tortoises survive? Apparently, a tortoise canhold her breath for a long time. In fact, they have to empty their lungs beforedipping into their shells to hide. It’s this breath holding ability that likelysaved the tortoises in these stories.
Can tortoises float?
Some tortoises can float, but not all. A lot of it has to dowith the age and weight of the tortoise. Some has to do with the stillness ofthe water. And some has to do with luck.
If conditions are right, a tortoise can float and drift,hoping to bump into the beach.
Do tortoises like to swim?
Wild tortoises probably don’t enjoy swimming. They tend toavoid the water, knowing they can’t swim well enough to get back to land. Theydo like to bathe though, so you may see one dipping into shallow water now andthen to freshen up.
Pet tortoises, however, have been known to enjoy occasionalwater time in the bath tub. It’s important to never leave a pet tortoiseunattended around water for even a moment. It doesn’t take long for a tortoiseto tip over, flip over, or get their head dunked under and drown.
Can baby tortoises swim?
Baby tortoises can’t swim either. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be seen near bodies of water. Baby tortoises need to drink and bathe like other animals, but if they are thrown into the water or accidentally fall in, they will likely drown.
As mentioned earlier, a tortoise is able to hold his breathfor quite some time. Unfortunately, baby tortoises aren’t very big, which meanstheir lungs aren’t very big either. A baby tortoise wouldn’t last longswimming.
It’s not typical for a tortoise to swim underwater. You maysee a video online now and then of a tortoise swimming or dipping underwater,but this is not a natural or normal behavior for them.
Can tortoises swim in pools?
A supervised pet tortoise may enjoy a quick splash in a non-chlorinated pool, but only in the shallow end and not for very long. Not all pet tortoises will enjoy playing in the water though, so be sure you don’t force a tortoise to stay in the water.
It’s worth noting that chlorine is not good for animals. Youshould never put a tortoise in a chlorinated pool.
Conclusion
With their bent legs and clawed toes, tortoises aren’tdesigned to swim. They may be found near water or even getting a drink ortaking a quick bath, but they are not aquatic reptiles and they do not swim.
Common Questions
Can tortoises climbout of the water? Yes, they can climb out of the water if they are close toshore or can get up onto a log or rock.
Can a star tortoise swim? No. There are no tortoise species that can swim well, if at all.
Do tortoises swim in the ocean? Not usually, but that doesn’t mean they never do. There is always going to be one or two animals that go against the normal behaviors of their species, and tortoises are no different.
How fast can a tortoise swim? Assuming the tortoise survives the initial dip into the water, it’s not going to swim very fast, if at all. They do not have the right physiological traits to swim. They are more likely to float and drift, which means they will be at the mercy of the current’s speed.
