Nina Chavin., age lOs of Nassau, N. Y., for her questions

How long have turtles existed?

Mr. Slow Poke is a real old timer. He is in no hurry to get anywhere and his lazy ways seem to have added years to his life. For certain big turtles are believed to be the most long lived animals in the world. What's more, the turtle family tree goes way back into the remote past.

There were turtles on earth 200 million years ago and these ancients were very much lips the turtles of today. The turtle was a turtle long before there were any lizards, crocodiles or snakes as we know them. He was certainly here long, long ages bef cr a the birds and the furry mammals. In facts the turtle is the only backboned animal who has survived without change through all those ages. We might say that fir. Slow Poke is one of the most successful animals in the whole worlds from the standpoint of survival.