What Is A Group Of Turtles Called?

Turtles are reptiles that have existed on Earth for over 200 million years. If you’ve ever seen a group of turtles gathered together, whether basking in the sun or swimming in a pond, you may have wondered what the proper name is for a group of these ancient creatures.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: a group of turtles is most commonly called a bale.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore the origins and meanings behind the different terms used to describe turtle groups, including less common names like turn, dole, and nest. We’ll also look at some of the reasons why turtles gather together in groups and provide examples of some famous turtle groupings found around the world.

The Most Common Terms for a Group of Turtles

Bale

A bale is the most commonly used term to describe a group of turtles. It refers to a large group of turtles gathered together, often when sunning themselves on a log or rock. Turtles are cold-blooded animals and they need the warmth of the sun to maintain their body temperature.

When a group gathers together to bask, it is called a bale.

Some key facts about a bale of turtles:

• Can contain dozens or even hundreds of turtles
• Often seen when turtles are sunbathing together
• Used to describe both aquatic and land turtles
• May include multiple turtle species in one bale
• Allows turtles to stay warm and socialize

Some examples of turtle species that may form a bale include painted turtles, box turtles, and red-eared sliders. The bale provides warmth and safety in numbers for these cold-blooded reptiles. Next time you see a group of turtles gathered together, you can impress your friends by calling it a bale!

Turn or Dole

Less common terms for a group of turtles are a “turn” or a “dole.” These words are used primarily in reference to sea turtles.

A turn refers to a group of sea turtles that are swimming together in the ocean. Sea turtles are highly migratory and travel thousands of miles between feeding and nesting grounds. When migrating, large numbers of turtles may swim together in a turn.

Some key facts about a turn of sea turtles:

• Can contain hundreds or even thousands of turtles
• Occurs during migrations across oceans
• May include multiple sea turtle species
• Thought to provide protection against predators
• Allows turtles to navigate using magnetic fields

A dole is also used to describe a group of sea turtles that are feeding together in one area. For example, an abundant food source like a jellyfish bloom might attract a large dole of leatherback sea turtles.

Less Common Names for Turtle Groups

Nest

While most people refer to a group of turtles as a “bale” or “turn”, there are some less common names used to describe turtle groups depending on their situation:

• A nest refers to a group of turtle eggs incubating together underground. Female turtles often lay multiple eggs in one nest, sometimes dozens! After around 50-80 days, the eggs will hatch together as a group.
• A clutch is also used to describe a group of turtle eggs from a single nest. So a turtle’s nest or clutch contains her eggs.

Here are some fascinating turtle nesting facts:

• Leatherback sea turtles lay the most eggs of any turtle, with clutches over 100 eggs being common.
• The largest turtle nest ever found contained 708 loggerhead sea turtle eggs! It was discovered on Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island, Georgia in 2019.
• The common snapping turtle lays one of the smallest clutches, averaging around 25 eggs.

Creep

A rarely used term for a group of juvenile turtles is a creep. This refers to young turtles that have recently hatched from a nest and are moving together across land to reach the safety of water.

Here’s an example sentence using the term:

We came across a creep of tiny painted turtles making their way from their nest by the pond to the water’s edge.

Some key facts about turtle hatchling creeps:

• They often hatch at night and travel together for safety from predators.
• Hatchlings are very vulnerable right after emerging and on their journey to water, with often less than 1% surviving to adulthood.
• The mass synchronous hatching of a turtle nest helps provide protection through numbers during the creep.

Why Turtles Form Groups

Thermoregulation

Turtles are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. By huddling together in groups, turtles can help each other maintain an optimal temperature more easily than if they were alone (McDonald, 2022).

This allows them to be more active and efficient at essential activities like foraging for food, avoiding predators, and mating.

For example, research shows that turtles will climb on top of each other, forming stacked pyramids, to soak up heat from the sun. The turtles on the bottom provide surface area for heat absorption, while those on top gain the most warmth.

By taking turns moving from bottom to top, the whole group benefits.

Mating

During mating season, male and female turtles congregate in large groups near nesting sites. This makes it easier for them to find potential mates in one place rather than expending extra energy wandering alone.

According to wildlife experts, the congregation of many turtles in one area also helps females compare males to find the highest quality partners (San Diego Zoo, 2019).

Some key reasons turtles form mating groups include:

• Increasing chances of reproductive success
• Ensuring viability of offspring through mate selection
• Protecting females during vulnerable egg-laying period

Hatching

Baby turtles are extremely vulnerable when they first hatch out of their eggs. By emerging from the nest in a large group, they can overwhelm predators with sheer numbers to give at least some hatchlings a higher chance of survival.

This “predator swamping” strategy is also seen in other animals like sea turtles and spadefoot toads (Stilson, 2021).

In addition, by digging out of the nest together, baby turtles assist siblings that have difficulties or get trapped. Turtle hatchlings have an inner “egg tooth” they use to slice open their shells from the inside, so those that are positioned awkwardly in the nest rely on classmates clawing around them to break free.

As the table shows, there is clearly an evolutionary advantage to turtle hatchlings emerging from the nest as a coordinated group rather than one at a time over many days. Their chances of surviving to adulthood are vastly improved.

Famous Turtle Groupings

The Arribadas of Ostional, Costa Rica

One of the most famous mass nestings of turtles occurs on the beaches of Ostional National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica. Up to 10,000 Olive Ridley turtles come ashore over several nights to lay their eggs in coordinated “arribadas.”

These arribadas happen monthly from July to December, peaking in September and October.

Scientists believe the mass nestings have evolved to saturate predators. With so many turtles on the beach at once, predators like coatis and birds cannot possibly eat all the eggs laid. This improves the turtles’ overall chances of reproductive success.

The phenomenon draws many tourists hoping to witness the incredible sight of thousands of turtles crawling up the beach under the moonlight.

The Turtle Islands of Malaysia

The Turtle Islands Park in Malaysia hosts some of the most important Green and Hawksbill turtle rookeries in Southeast Asia. The park consists of three islands off the coast of Sabah: Selingaan, Bakungan Kechil, and Gulisan.

Around 2,000 Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles come here each year to nest and lay eggs.

These vital nesting grounds earned protection as Malaysia’s first marine park in 1997. Rangers monitor and protect the turtle populations. Tourists can visit Selingaan island to observe turtle hatchings and learn about conservation efforts through educational tours.

With consistent protection, nesting turtle populations have increased 50% from 1999 to 2019.

Conclusion

As we’ve explored, some of the most common terms used to describe a group of turtles are bale and turn or dole. While less common, a group can also be called a nest or creep. Turtles are often seen gathered together for important biological reasons like regulating body temperature, mating, and facilitating the hatching process.

From the enormous olive ridley arribadas on the beaches of Costa Rica to the green turtle sanctuaries amongst the Turtle Islands of Malaysia, turtles frequently form noteworthy aggregations around the globe. Whatever you call them, a group of turtles is always a special sight.