I've been visiting this forum for quite a while, sometimes I've been an active participant, while other times I've simply lurked. If I'm remembering correctly, Wraith (among others) used to give out pocket ninjas ( :ninja: ) instead, but one day someone - who I honestly don't remember - gave out a turtle instead. After that, it just stuck. No conspiracy, no inside joke... just a gesture that for reason caught on.
This is all me assuming I'm remembering correctly, though I know it wasn't around when I first started here - after all, I never got one...

Close enough. There are no turtle overlords everyone knows Tapirs are behind the problems of the Ark.
Who all thinks they should Make turtles in the game as a inside joke? Like either finding a turtle mascot for shopping areas or something like that? ^^
It already is an inside joke. I would know since I help spawn most of them.
It started when Krytt (or maybe it was Revo) posted in a derailed thread "I like Turtles :turtle: " months ago, just trying to be random. Someone put the quote in their siggy (i forgot who) and started handing them out.
Hello, it was me, Krytt and Wraith that started the turtle thing.......
Yup look in the sig. I like turtles.
We formalize some of emotes, Turtles are simply a form of greeting.