41 Endangered Turtle Species That You May Not Know Exist

May 23rd is the World Turtle Day, shellebrated since year 2000, and its goal is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

Nowadays, there are more than 300 different species of turtles and tortoises in the world, and more than half of those are in endangered, threatened or vulnerable status. Here you have a list with some of these turtles and tortoises that we need to care so they won't disappear, all of them beautiful in their own way.

More info: worldturtleday.org

This post may include affiliate links.

Assam Roofed Turtle

Final score:

38points

POST

Emily Black 7 years ago

He wants to be a shark!

7points

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Angonoka Tortoise

Final score:

38points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

FIGHT. ME.

4points

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Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Final score:

35points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

these smol twoddles make me squeal with joy because they are SHO COOTE!!

1point

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Spiny Turtle

Final score:

34points

POST

Burcu Erbakan 7 years ago

mini pet dragon

2points

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Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle

Final score:

34points

POST

Lazy_Potato 7 years ago

He went full derp

7points

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Black-breasted Leaf Turtle

Final score:

33points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

both the mother and the child look horrified, probably at humanity

9points

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Euphrates Softshell Turtle

Final score:

31points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

when you're silently judging someone

5points

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Sulawesi Forest Turtle

Final score:

31points

POST

Yulius Susanto 7 years ago

Celebes

0points

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Burmese Peacock Softshell Turtle

Final score:

30points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

that pancake looks delicious

3points

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#10

Western Swamp Turtle

Final score:

29points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

me in the hunt for food

2points

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#11

Alabama Red-bellied Cooter

Final score:

29points

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Sierra Hall 7 years ago

I just like the name lol!

5points

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#12

Mccord's Snakeneck Turtle

Final score:

28points

POST

Galeanthropy2017 7 years ago

Why hello there!

5points

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#13

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Final score:

27points

POST

N.m 7 years ago

Looks like a selfie

2points

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#14

Bostami Turtle

Final score:

27points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

this is a turtle?!

7points

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#15

Four-eyed Turtle

Final score:

23points

POST

Eirik Guttulsrud 7 years ago

Shouldn't it be called Six-Eyed Turtle ^^? Just saying...

13points

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#16

Big-headed Turtle

Final score:

22points

POST

Shauday Smith 7 years ago

reminds me of that turtle from The Never Ending Story

4points

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#17

Coahuilan Box Turtle

Final score:

21points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

harro there hoomin

2points

#18

Red-crowned Roofed Turtle

Final score:

21points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

WHAAAATTT?!?1

2points

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#19

Maranhão Slider

Final score:

21points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

slidin into those dms ;)

2points

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#20

Japanese Coin Turtle

Final score:

20points

POST

#21

Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle

Final score:

20points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

after eating a family size bag of lays, two packs of double stuf oreos, and a liter of dr pepper

5points

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#22

Malaysian Giant Turtle Or Bornean River Turtle

Final score:

19points

POST

Nancy E 7 years ago

This is an old guy!

3points

#23

Flat-backed Spider Tortoise

Final score:

19points

POST

Kawaii Lemon 7 years ago

Spider tortoise, spider tortoise doing wut spider tortoise doz

0points

#24

Beal's Eyed Turtle

Final score:

18points

POST

Red-necked Pond Turtle

Final score:

18points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

this little bean is as dark and small as my soul

2points

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#26

Yellow Pond Turtle

Final score:

18points

POST

Rosa Kim 7 years ago

when I see people

2points

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#27

Hoge's Side-necked Turtle

Final score:

17points

POST

Ricky Couture 7 years ago

I think some guy named Hoge just dropped a turtle and didn't want to own up to it.

2points

#28

Asian Forest Tortoise

Final score:

17points

POST

Malak Ahmed 7 years ago

Yo, where my gun at?!

0points

#29

Forsten's Tortoise

Final score:

17points

POST

Socially Awkward 7 years ago

I feel like it's judging me

1point

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#30

Pearl River Map Turtle

Final score:

17points

POST

#31

Philippine Forest Turtle

Final score:

16points

POST

#32

Cuatro Ciénegas Slider

Final score:

16points

POST

Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle

Final score:

15points

POST

#34

Cane Turtle

Final score:

15points

POST

#35

Yellow Tortoise

Final score:

15points

POST

#36

Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle

Final score:

15points

POST

Nancy E 7 years ago

Another strange looking turtle

1point

#37

Annam Leaf Turtle

Final score:

15points

POST

#38

Arakan Forest Turtle

Final score:

14points

POST

Shauday Smith 7 years ago

whatta y-arakan?

0points

#39

Flatened Musk Turtle

Final score:

13points

POST

#40

Magdalena River Turtle

Final score:

13points

POST

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What do you think ?

As the grandson of a naturalist who's spent his whole life fighting for the conservation of wetland turtles, I can say it seems to be a fruitless battle. People love the idea of nature insofar as it coincides with their love of bending it to their own wants, and unfortunately turtles don't factor in as much as biking, jogging, dog-walking, four-wheeling, mudding, and off-roading do. These are some of the most enduring species on earth, but lack the capacity to withstand long-term human interference. If human beings are really sincere in trying to preserve them, the first thing they'll do is leave them their space and let nature run itself. History shows that no matter the intentions, wherever humans step foot, nature dies. Sad reality, but reality nonetheless.

Jennifer Oldham 7 years ago

This exactly. Nature is fine so long as we dictate every aspect of it. I dream of a time when huge swaths of land and water are marked a no people zone. Save for monitoring to make sure people are in there - it's left to nature.

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Zori the degu 7 years ago

It's so sad nearly 150 species of turtles are endangered. It becomes a particularly big deal when you realize all of these beautiful creatures on the photos are endangered at some level. I hope this list makes people more aware of their naturally-unfriendly actions, urge them to change themselves to better and do something for our beautiful planet.

tweetybird 7 years ago

they're so beautiful

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41 Endangered Turtle Species That You May Not Know Exist

Assam Roofed Turtle

Angonoka Tortoise

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Spiny Turtle

Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle

Black-breasted Leaf Turtle

Euphrates Softshell Turtle

Sulawesi Forest Turtle

Burmese Peacock Softshell Turtle

Western Swamp Turtle

Alabama Red-bellied Cooter

Mccord's Snakeneck Turtle

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Bostami Turtle

Four-eyed Turtle

Big-headed Turtle

Coahuilan Box Turtle

Red-crowned Roofed Turtle

Maranhão Slider

Japanese Coin Turtle

Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle

Malaysian Giant Turtle Or Bornean River Turtle

Flat-backed Spider Tortoise

Beal's Eyed Turtle

Red-necked Pond Turtle

Yellow Pond Turtle

Hoge's Side-necked Turtle

Asian Forest Tortoise

Forsten's Tortoise

Pearl River Map Turtle

Philippine Forest Turtle

Cuatro Ciénegas Slider

Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle

Cane Turtle

Yellow Tortoise

Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle

Annam Leaf Turtle

Arakan Forest Turtle

Flatened Musk Turtle

Magdalena River Turtle

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