World Turtle Day was started to increase respect and knowledge for the world's oldest creatures.

Founded in 1990, American Tortoise Rescue is the founding sponsor of World Turtle Day.

Beginning in 2000, ATR sponsored World Turtle Day in an effort to increase awareness of the plight of turtles and tortoises and the environments that support them.

In 2011, Jagex Games Studios hosted a number of events within their MMORPG, RuneScape, to celebrate World Turtle Day.

The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.