A group of turtles is called a ‘bale’. A bale refers to a large amount of something that has been tied together. The term is often used to describe things like hay, wool, cloth, or paper. The term has been used for a long time, so we cannot know for sure why the term got applied to turtles. But, it was likely just an easy comparison. Despite having a term to describe a group of turtles, turtles don’t like living in groups. They are solitary creatures and will often avoid other turtles. Most often, if you find a group of turtles together, it’s because it’s mating season.