A Julia butterfly on the nose of a yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador

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Shell yeah!. World Turtle Day

No need to hurry, because today marks the 25th anniversary of World Turtle Day. Turtles and tortoises thrive in a variety of environments and are linked to wisdom and perseverance. All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. While turtles are smaller and built for swimming, tortoises are larger, heavier and adapted for life on land. The American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) established World Turtle Day to raise awareness and protection efforts on May 23 each year. ATR has helped rehabilitate, rescue and rehome around 4,000 turtles and tortoises, working to protect them and their disappearing habitats.

Here we see a fascinating Amazonian phenomenon—a Julia butterfly on the nose of a yellow-spotted river turtle in Ecuador's Amazon River region. Butterflies in the Amazon are known to sip the tears of turtles, which provide a vital source of sodium, a mineral in short supply. The yellow-spotted river turtle is one of the largest river turtles in South America. While these turtles are well-adapted to the waters, they face a range of threats from humans, birds, snakes, large fish, frogs and mammals. In the 1960s, they were heavily exploited for the American pet trade, leading to strict regulations on their importation. Today, a captive, self-sustaining population exists in the United States, with some living over 30 years in captivity.