Turtles climb onto logs and rocks at the water's edge to sun themselves.
Turtle (order Testudines), any reptile with a body encased in a bony shell, including tortoises. Although numerous animals, from invertebrates to mammals, have evolved shells, none has an architecture like that of turtles. The turtle shell has a top (carapace) and a bottom (plastron).
The carapace and plastron are bony structures that usually join one another along each side of the body, creating a rigid skeletal box. This box, composed of bone and cartilage, is retained throughout the turtle’s life. Because the shell is an integral part of the body, the turtle cannot exit it, nor is the shell shed like the skin of some other reptiles.
To learn more about turtles, visit Britannica.com.
Keeping a Turtle? Here are Some Tips All New Turtlekeepers Need To Know, shared by Reptiles Magazine.