Turtles & Tortoises: What's the Difference

Do you know how to tell the difference between a turtle and a tortoise? Museum educator Jason breaks down exactly what differentiates these two species: turtles have webbed feet and streamlined flat shells for moving through aquatic environments, while tortoises live on land and have round, heavy shells that they support with their flat feet. Turtles are also omnivores, whereas tortoises are herbivores. Tortoises are believed to have evolutionarily diverged from turtles around 200 million years ago, and their adaptations evolved to better suit new habitats.