| Turtle, Green Sea | |||
| Genus | Chelonia | ||
| Species | mydas (including agassizi) | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Habitat | Tropical and subtropical islands; oceans | ||
| Distribution | Breeding colony populations in Florida and on Pacific coast of Mexico | ||
| Height | 7-12 inches (18-30 cm) | ||
| Length | 30-62 inches (76-157 cm) | ||
| Weight | 120-200 pounds (54-91 kg) | ||
| Behavior | Green sea turtles swim around shallow islands and coral reefs looking for food. | ||
| Diet | Plants and algae | ||
| Feeding | This diet of green plants leaves the green sea turtle without necessary vitamins, like vitamin D. Instead, they absorb these by basking in the sun. | ||
| Breeding |
The white sands and palm trees of tropical and subtropical island beaches are the perfect nesting sites for green sea turtles. During the nesting season, turtle mothers swim to shore at night and find suitable spots above the high-tide mark on the beach. Each mother digs a pit and lays around one hundred leathery eggs into them. They then cover their nests with sand. Turtle moms make up to ten nighttime trips to the same area to lay more eggs, but after they have finished, they never return.
Two months later, the eggs hatch, and the baby turtles dig themselves out of the sand. They slowly make their way across the beach, but raccoons, herons, opossums, and other predators make the journey dangerous. And even in the water, the hatchlings are not safe. Many of them are eaten by sharks and barracudas. Only one baby in a hundred will survive to adulthood. The survivors disappear for two years and return to the island when they have grown into adults. | ||
| Conservation |
When these turtles are feeding in the water or basking on a warm, sandy beach, they are easy to capture. These slow-moving creatures have historically been an easy source of food for native islanders and European explorers. A single fisherman could catch up to 100 turtles a day! By 1620, these animals were already becoming rare. Today, sea turtles are still a major source of food for some island peoples.
In some places, green sea turtle soup is still a popular dish. The soup is made from the turtle's fat, which is green (and gives the turtle its name). Serving turtle soup is now discouraged in most island resorts. The warm beaches where green sea turtles nest are, unfortunately, just as attractive to tourists and developers. These areas are being built up with hotels, resorts, and condominiums. Today there are eight species of sea turtles in the world, and all are either endangered or vulnerable. To improve their chances of survival, nesting sites are marked and guarded by conservationists. In some areas, the eggs are collected, hatched in laboratories, and the babies returned to the sea. Hopefully, their efforts will ensure that this rare animal does not become extinct. | ||
| Interesting Facts | The green sea turtle descends from an ancient family of reptiles that lived two hundred million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Today, this turtle looks pretty much the same as it did ninety million years ago. | ||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
