Do turtles live in groups? How do they communicate among themselves?

Written by Dr. Chen Pelf Nyok

Dr. Chen is the co-founder of Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia. She currently heads the community-based River Terrapin Conservation Project in Kemaman, Terengganu, Malaysia.

25 Oct 2009

Turtles are mostly solitary creatures, so not much is known about how they communicate with each other. However, most are territorial and aggressive if with others. They prefer to have their space. However, they do seem to use some form of communication during the breeding season. For example, some species will travel together to the breeding ground to mate. Additionally, some turtles will use a variety of methods to try and attract a mate, including head-bobbing, biting the female’s legs, or use different leg movements while facing the female.

Some turtle species can detect an enemy by sensing the vibrations in water. They also have excellent sight and sense of smell.

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