Sea turtles figure prominently in native Hawaiian life.
Turtles are reptiles, the same as lizards, geckos and snakes.
Like all reptiles, turtles have scaly, dry skin but unlike their crocodile and snake relatives, turtles have no teeth. Turtles have a shell, called a carapace, that protects them from their enemies. Many turtles can pull their bodies into the shell making it impossible for predators to harm them. Most turtles spend their lives on or near the land or in fresh water. The sea turtle, unlike most other turtles, cannot pull its head and flippers into its shell and its legs have changed to become more like a fish's fins.