How Turtles Survived What Wiped Out the Dinosaurs
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When the asteroid hit, it didn’t knock politely.
It blasted the planet, kicked up firestorms, blocked the sun, and starved out almost everything. Dinosaurs didn’t stand a chance. But turtles?
They just kept going.
How? That’s the wild part. While giant reptiles vanished, turtles found a way to crawl through the chaos and keep on living. Let me show you how these slow-moving survivors outlasted one of the worst days in Earth’s history.
Turtles Were Already Ancient
When the asteroid hit 66 million years ago, turtles weren’t some new experiment in evolution. They had already been around for over 100 million years. That’s right—turtles were older than most dinosaurs.
Their design hadn’t changed much because it didn’t need to. The shell, the slow metabolism, the ability to live in water or on land—it all worked.
They had already survived mass extinctions before. So when things went south again, they didn’t panic. They just kept doing what they’d always done. And it worked.
The Shell Wasn’t Just for Looks
That shell isn’t just decoration—it’s armor.
Turtles are basically walking bunkers. Their ribs and spine are fused into the shell, making it part of their skeleton. So when chaos broke out—falling debris, predators, wild temperature swings—they had built-in protection.
Most animals had to run. Turtles just tucked in.
This Hilarious Turtle Book Might Know Your Pet Better Than You Do
Let’s be real—most turtle care guides feel like reading a textbook written by a sleep-deprived zookeeper.
This one’s not that.
Told from the snarky point of view of a grumpy, judgmental turtle, 21 Turtle Truths You’ll Never Read in a Care Guide is packed with sarcasm, sass, and surprisingly useful insights.
And hey—you don’t have to commit to the whole thing just yet.
Grab 2 free truths from the ebook and get a taste of what your turtle really thinks about your setup, your food choices, and that weird plastic palm tree.
It’s funny, it’s honest, and if you’ve ever owned a turtle who glares at you like you’re the problem—you’ll feel seen.
Low Energy, Low Risk
Turtles don’t burn energy like warm-blooded animals.
They’re cold-blooded, which means they can slow everything down—heartbeat, movement, even digestion. After the asteroid, when food became rare and the climate turned harsh, this was a game-changer.
While other animals starved or overheated, turtles powered down and waited it out.
Aquatic Lifestyle Gave Them a Buffer
When the land turned into a nightmare—fires, falling ash, freezing nights—many turtles had a secret weapon: water.
Living in rivers, lakes, or muddy swamps gave them shelter from the worst of the impact.
Water helped regulate temperature, kept them hidden, and protected them from debris and predators running wild on land. While the surface world collapsed, turtles stayed tucked beneath it.
Survival Mode: Hiding and Hibernating
Turtles are pros at vanishing when things get rough.
Some can dig into the mud and stay buried for months. Others hibernate underwater, barely breathing, using a weird trick like cloacal respiration—yep, breathing through their butt.
They don’t need to eat, move, or even come up for air. When the world went dark and cold, they just disappeared and waited for it to pass.
They Weren’t Fussy Eaters
Turtles aren’t picky.
They’ll munch on plants, bugs, dead animals—whatever they can find. That kind of flexibility is gold when ecosystems crash and food sources vanish.
While other animals starved waiting for their favorite meal, turtles just ate whatever was around and kept going.
Small Body, Big Advantage
Turtles didn’t need much to survive—just a bit of food, a bit of space, and a safe spot to hide.
Unlike giant dinosaurs that needed massive amounts of resources, turtles could live quietly in small ponds or burrows.
Being small made them harder to spot, easier to shelter, and way less demanding during a crisis.
The Quiet Winners
Turtles didn’t outrun firestorms or outfight predators. They didn’t need to.
They outlasted everything by staying low, moving slow, and sticking to what worked.
While flashier species vanished, turtles just kept surviving—quietly, stubbornly, and with a shell that said, “Try me.”
They’ve been doing it ever since.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.
