Turtle Conservancy

Dedicated to protecting threatened turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide, and to promoting their appreciation by people everywhere.

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

"We must save the tortoises!" — Gayle King, summing up exactly how we feel every single day.

Couldn't agree more, Gayle. Final episode airs TONIGHT. #MonstersOfGod

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Battle of the Ploughshares! 🐢 male tortoises use the horn under their neck (a gular scute) as a lever to flip rivals onto their back.

Winner claims mating rights! 💥

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

The unseen faces of the extinction crisis deserve a fighting chance.

TC is proud to join the $200M Phoenix Species Project to recover 100 endangered species—starting with saving Madagascar’s critically endangered Ploughshare tortoise!

🔗 https://t.co/fma8ewJ89A

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

International demand for North American turtles is growing — and so are major confiscations. TC founder, Eric Goode, discusses the rise in native turtles being trafficked overseas and the growing threat of the illegal wildlife trade.
#WildlifeTrade #Conservation

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Forget rhino horns and ivory; the illegal turtle trade is a multi-million dollar industry, especially in Asia. These creatures are easily smuggled, making them a lucrative, often overlooked, commodity. #TurtleTrade #IllegalWildlifeTrade #Conservation #EndangeredSpecies #Asia

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

The illegal reptile trade is an estimated $20 billion industry, intertwined with drugs and guns. Turtle Conservancy founder Eric Goode and Jeremy McBride joined Joe Rogan to discuss the global wildlife trade and their new HBO docuseries, Monsters of God, premiering tonight.

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Tortoises once thrived on countless islands, but over half of the 121 known species are now extinct, largely due to human actions. From the Mascarene Islands to the Galapagos, human appetite has devastated these ancient creatures. #Conservation #Wildlife #Extinction

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Meet the big-headed turtle, an incredible creature from Indochina with a beak-like mouth designed to crush prey. Surprisingly, these prehistoric-looking reptiles can climb trees using their tails for balance! #TurtleFacts #Wildlife

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

As we prepare to swim into the new year, let us take inspiration from the remarkable Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), an endangered species + only freshwater turtle with flippers.
Our Turtle Conservancy family wishes everyone a happy and fulfilling 2025!
#happyholidays

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

We are so grateful to everyone who has contributed to our Giving Tuesday cause. It’s not too late to make a difference- Join us in protecting the Coahuilan Box Turtle, the Cuatro Ciénegas Slider, the Cuatro Ciénegas Softshell Turtle, and their habitat with a contribution today!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Meet the Black Mambas: an all-female anti-poaching unit based in South Africa. They have dramatically reduced the poaching of the Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) while empowering countless women. To read the full story, you can purchase our magazine, The Tortoise!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Happy World Wildlife Conservation Day! 🌿
At the Turtle Conservancy, we are currently working to protect land within Cuatro Ciénegas, an endangered ecosystem in Mexico, home to three highly threatened endemic turtle species. Support this project by visiting the link in our bio!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Looking for a creative way to give back this Giving Tuesday? Start a holiday or birthday fundraiser for our cause! Supporting us will help protect Cuatro Ciénegas, a rare and endangered ecosystem in Mexic home to three highly threatened endemic turtles

Donate today!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

This Giving Tuesday, join us in protecting Cuatro Ciénegas, a unique and endangered ecosystem in Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert, home to a wide array of creatures, including three highly threatened endemic turtle species. Click the link in our bio to learn more and donate today!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

After a weekend of gratitude and gathering with loved ones, it's time to get ready for #givingtuesday! Your ongoing generosity makes our conservation efforts possible, and we’re so grateful for your support. 🧡

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

The Impressed Tortoise is a species we breed at our center, but pictured here is a wild animal in Thailand! They belong to an ancient lineage of tortoises from Asia, some of which made it to North America millions of years ago to form what are now the gopher and desert tortoises!

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

The Southern Pacific Pond Turtle is the only native species of aquatic turtle in the state of Southern California, where it is listed a Species of Special Concern. Turtle Conservancy is proud to protect populations of Southern Pacific Pond Turtles in Ventura County, California.

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

Just as adorable as they are rare, the Ryukyu Leaf Turtle is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. This species has long been coveted by turtle collectors, driving the collection of them to supply the black market pet trade. As a result they are classified as endangered.

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

One of the world’s most beautiful & endangered chelonians, the Ploughshare Tortoise. This heavily trafficked species is dwindling right before our eyes. That’s why we aim to reduce and prevent the illegal poaching of Ploughshare tortoises in Madagascar.

[Turtle Conservancy @turtletweets]

A Geometric Tortoise in South Africa on our preserve sporting a rather high-tech accessory! Scientists use radio transmitters like this one to conduct vital research that can uncover SO much information on how these tortoises live that can help better understand and protect them!