Turtles or Tortoise

[reptilefan95]

I was having a heated argument with one of the kids in my class who clamed he had an eastern long neck tortoise i pretty much told him he was a complete idiot because its an eastern long neck turtle... Now my other mate has told me he has a tortoise, is there anything as a tortoise in australia?? Or are they all turtles?

 

[Vat69]

There are tortoises in Australia, yes.
Or do you mean are there any Australian native tortoises? The answer to that is (as far as I'm aware) no.

 

[scorps]

If he has a tortoise its an illegal import (or illegaly bred in aus who knows)

But to the quesion your asking the answer if no, there are no native tortoises in Australia.

 

[reptilefan95]

So if you have a tortoisein australia it is illegal? And if you find a tortoise in the wild it has either been released or is a pest?

 

[FAY]

There are no native tortoises in Australia.
Tortoises are totally land animals.
Turtles are water and land animals.

 

[reptilefan95]

thanks for clearing that up garthnfay i knew the difference but i was unsure wether tortoses were native to australia or even if they were brought in to australia, not on the pet market but for some other reason like the cane toad

 

[seanjbkorbett]

well one of the other proper terms for a fresh-water turtle is a terrapin! then sea turtles then u get a land tortoise.

 

[reptilefan95]

yea but there is no such thing as a native tortoise in australia... if you find one it has been introduced anyway thats my understanding

 

[tenacres1100]

the early settlers thought they were a tortoise, because when thet saw them they were always on land moving from water hole to water hole, but they are a turtle

 

[reptilefan95]

thanks

 

[bigguy]

As recently as 20 years ago Australians believed that turles only lived in the ocean, and that the freshwater turtles were in fact tortoises. Every old Aussie reptile book referred to them as tortoises by mistake as well. Even today in WA they still call them tortoises. Many people still have no idea that its been corrected, hense the arguements.

In a nut shell if it lives in water and has adaptations for swimming (web feet, flippers) its a turtle, either fresh or saltwater. If it has club feet and no swimming adaptations its a tortoise which is a land animal.

Australia only has native turtles, fresh and saltwater. Tortoises live overseas, but can be seen in zoos. Terapins is the American Indian's name for freshwater turtles.

Hope this helps

 

[FAY]

Thanks for that info Bob. Should set everyone straight.

 

[reptilefan95]

thanks mate im happy and now i have evidence to gloat!!