Three species of tortoises live in the United States. The desert tortoise makes its home in the dry areas of the Southwest. The gopher tortoise lives in sandy-soiled areas of the Southeastern United States. The Texas tortoise is found in scrub forests of southern Texas. Tortoises live only on land.
Most species are slow-moving creatures with a high, domed shell.
But the African pancake tortoise has a flat, flexible shell. When in danger, this tortoise runs quickly into a crack in a nearby rock. It then takes a deep breath and inflates its body, wedging itself tightly in the crack. The activities of human beings are a serious threat to the survival of many turtles, and turtle conservation must improve to prevent certain species from becoming extinct. Wildlife experts classify more than 40 kinds of turtles as endangered.