Brenda Cole, age 15, of Lancaster,, Pen ago or her question:

 Can a turtle breathe under water?

The giant turtles are ocean dwellers. Except for polar seas they, travel all over the deep oceans. The female comes ashore only to lay her batch of eggs. They feed far below the surface and very rarely come near the shallow waters off shore. Yet the big sea dwellers must breathe air to stay alive. They do not have gills for breathing water as the fishes do.

Maybe you have seen a snapper turtle enjoying himself in a fresh water pond. You may watch him tear up the water plants and eat his food under the water. other turtles can also eat underwater. But all of them must come up for air. All of them are air breathing creatures.