History and Origin of World Turtle Day:
World Turtle Day was created in 2000. It was founded by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson. Today it is an annual event sponsored by the American Tortoise Rescue organization.
Date When Celebrated: This holiday event is always celebrated on May 23
World Turtle Day was created for two reasons:
- To celebrate and enjoy both turtles and tortoises.
- Bring awareness to the disappearing habitat of turtles and to educate people on how to protect them.
Facts about Turtles and Tortoises.
- Turtles and tortoises have a long life span. Many species live 35 to 50 years and some have been known to live a lot longer.
- Some species are carnivores, while others are herbivores.
- According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 129 of 300 species of turtles and tortoises are on the endangered species list.
What's the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?
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| Source: Pixabay |
Both turtles and tortoises are reptiles, dating back over 200 million years.
The major difference stems from the fact that a tortoise lives on land and a turtle lives in the water for most of the time. Now I'm sure you realize that "Turtle" you bought at the pet store and the one you saw in the park or even your back yard, was actually a Tortoise. But even knowing the difference, it's okay if you want to refer to all species as simply “Turtles”.
Crafty Turtles
TMNT
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| TMNT - Donatello-Raphael-Leonardo-Michelangelo |
Favorite cartoon turtles in Amigurumi Crochet inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
These crocheted turtle dolls are hand-crocheted in a sage green acrylic yarn. Each turtle has a different color headband - Red for Raphael, Orange for Michelangelo, Purple for Donatello and Blue for Leonardo. The turtle's belly is in yellow yarn. The turtle shell on the back is done in dark forest green. There is a brown belt around each turtle. The eyes are black craft safety eyes.
The turtles are stuffed with a new soft polyester fiberfill. They each measure 6 inches tall and 4 inches across the arms and body.
Tiny Turtles Plush Animals
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| Tiny Toy Turtles |
These tiny turtles measures 5 inches from head to tail and about 3 inches from the tip of the head to the little turtle feet. Tiny turtles are handmade in the Amigurumi style of crochet using acrylic yarn and filled with soft polyfil.
Tiny Turtles make a darling baby gift or a fun plush toy for any age child.
Terrance the Tortoise
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| Terrance the Tortoise |
Meet Terrance, a plush stuffed toy tortoise. Terrance is an Amigurumi toy turtle handmade in crochet. You can call him by his nickname, Terry.
Terrance the tortoise is crocheted in yellow, tan and sage green acrylic yarn and filled with soft new polyfil. He measures approximately 10 inches long and 11 inches wide including his legs (about 5 inches across his body with 3 inch legs each side).
Toy tortoise has a tan body with a sage green shell. His head, legs and tail are done in yellow. His eyes are embroidered. He's soft and cuddly and fun for any age child.
All the crafty turtles above are available now or will be back soon in the Etsy shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts. If you want a turtle sooner, just drop a note in the Etsy Shop and Pat will create a custom order for you. :)
Famous Turtles
The most famous turtles are:
- The four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo and Donatello
- Squirt and Crush from Finding Nemo
Related Links:
Plush Turtles and a Tortoise – Plush Toy Animals Story
World Sea Turtle Day – June 16
World Turtle Day review written by (c) Wednesday Elf
