Determining the age of a turtle is crucial for various reasons, including conservation efforts, population management, and estimating their lifespan. Several methods can be employed to estimate a turtle’s age, and the choice of method depends on the species, availability of information, and accuracy required.
One common method involves counting the growth rings on the turtle’s scutes (scales). As turtles grow, they add new rings to their scutes, similar to the growth rings on a tree trunk. By counting the number of rings, researchers can estimate the turtle’s age. However, this method is only applicable to certain turtle species and can be challenging if the rings are not clearly visible.
