World Turtle Day 2027 is on Sunday

About World Turtle Day

Turtles and tortoises are among the oldest groups of reptiles still alive, yet many species are in trouble. The founders of World Turtle Day point to three main pressures: the loss of nesting beaches, wetlands and dry scrub to development, the collection of wild animals for food markets, and the trade in live turtles as pets. The day asks people to treat these animals with more respect and to take small, practical steps that help them survive.

American Tortoise Rescue, a nonprofit set up in Malibu, California, in 1990 by Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, created World Turtle Day in 2000. The group rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes turtles and tortoises, and it has sponsored the day on May 23 every year since. A 2008 press release from the group said the founders had grown alarmed at how many young, small turtles were arriving at their rescue, which they read as a sign that older breeding adults were vanishing from the wild.

The observance is not a UN day and has no government status. The name "World Turtle Day" is a registered trademark of American Tortoise Rescue, and the group runs the official website with event listings and free activity kits for schools, zoos, aquariums, rescues and families. A 2021 study in the journal Biological Conservation looked at 16 species awareness days and found that the turtle day was one of only four linked to clear rises in both Google searches and Wikipedia page views about its animals.

Sources: World Turtle Day: About (American Tortoise Rescue), Health News Digest: American Tortoise Rescue Celebrates World Turtle Day May 23rd (2008, archived), Chua, Tan and Carrasco: Species awareness days: Do people care or are we preaching to the choir? (Biological Conservation, 2021). How we check dates.

How to mark World Turtle Day

• If you see a turtle crossing a road and it is safe to stop, move it to the side it was heading toward, then leave it there.
• Before getting a pet turtle or tortoise, learn about its lifespan, space and diet needs, and look at rescues first instead of buying.
• Never release a pet turtle into a pond or stream; contact a local rescue or reptile club if you can no longer keep it.
• Pick up litter, fishing line and plastic around beaches, lakes and rivers where turtles feed and nest.
• Visit a zoo, aquarium or nature center that cares for turtles and ask how its staff work with local species.
• Help children make a simple turtle fact sheet or drawing that shows the difference between turtles and tortoises.

World Turtle Day dates