Turtles and tortoises often get lumped together in casual conversation, but they’re actually quite different animals.

While both belong to the same scientific order (Testudines), they’ve evolved in unique ways depending on where they live and how they survive. Think of them like distant cousins who took very different paths in life.

Let’s break it down in plain terms.

Where they live

The most obvious difference between turtles and tortoises is their home turf.

Turtles spend most (or all) of their time in or around water. Whether it’s a pond, river, or ocean, turtles are built for life in the wet stuff. Their bodies are streamlined for swimming, and they’ve got webbed feet, or in the case of sea turtles, full-blown flippers, to help them glide through the water with ease.

Tortoises,

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