One lovely thing about turtles is that they never look busy. They calmly browse the forest or sun themselves on a log, appearing to live a life of leisure.

Behind their chill demeanor, however, turtles are ecological movers and shakers, thanks to their digging, moving a lot farther than you’d think they do and moving between ecosystems, like the ocean and the beach.

They’re also widely beloved, the kind of animal you rarely hear of people having a problem with or fear of. They’re central to many mythologies and, as a first pet for many kids, they’re a gentle bridge between home and the wild.

They’re also a bit of a bridge between land and water, depending on the species.

“All animals with