There are many interesting sea turtle facts, but the most sobering fact of all is the threat that they face from mankind. Whether by poaching, by loss of nesting and feeding sites due to coastal development, or by the miles of longline fishing hooks trailed out in the sea by fishermen, all seven species are on the IUCN red list of endangered species. While it is true that a sea turtle will lay an average of one-hundred eggs at a time, usually only one will make it to adulthood. There are many sea turtle facts, but before one can understand these creatures, it is helpful to understand a little about each of the seven species.
- Leatherback
Not only is the leatherback the largest of the species, it is one of the world’s largest reptiles. Growing between four to eight-feet-long, the leatherback can weigh as much as two-thousand pounds. Despite its weight, it is able to consume twice that amount, daily, in prey.The leatherback is the only one of the species that does not have a shell. Instead, it is covered in long, hard scales. The leatherback dates back over one-hundred and fifty-million years, and is the oldest of the species. It is also able to dive deeper than any other member of the species. It is interesting that while the leatherback managed to survive the extinction of the dinosaurs, today it struggles to survive.
- Green Sea Turtle
The green sea turtle can grow up to four- feet-long, though it generally is not as large as the leatherback. The adults are herbivores and enjoy seaweed, grasses, algae, and other sea plant life. Its beak is sharp and serrated. In fact, the green sea turtle acts as a sort of landscaper of the sea. It trims the sea grasses, but leaves the roots, allowing the seabeds to grow back stronger and thicker. The green sea turtle is the only one of the species that regularly comes ashore to bask.
- Loggerhead
The loggerhead is normally found in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans. It can grow up to four-feet-long and weigh as many as four-hundred pounds. The loggerhead, so named because of its large head, has a strong, crushing jaw that allows it to crack open and eat almost anything with a hard shell, such as crabs and conchs. Some loggerhead will migrate from as far as Japan to Baja California Sur. In fact, a loggerhead was the first sea creature to be tracked across an entire ocean.
- Hawksbill
The hawksbill sea turtles are coveted for their colorful shells. They are found in tropical waters and enjoy corral reefs, lagoons, and rocky areas. This sea turtle has a narrow head and a sharp bird-like beak. The hawksbill feed almost exclusively on sponges.
- Olive Ridely
The pale green olive ridely will only grow to about two-feet-long. This sea turtle is perhaps the most abundant of the species, and they nest in masses that are known as arribadas.
- Flatback
The flatback sea turtle has a relatively flat shell which curves upward around the outer edges. This sea turtle can weigh as many as two-hundred pounds and grow up to three-feet in length. It is an omnivore, and feeds on sea cucumbers, shrimp, and soft corals. The flatback is preyed upon by the saltwater crocodile, which is the largest reptile on earth.
- Kemp’s Ridley
The Kemp’s ridley is the smallest of the sea turtle species, weighing no more than one-hundred pounds and growing no larger than two-feet-long. It has a triangular head with a hooked beak and a strong jaw. It loves crabs, but will eat fish, shrimp, and a variety of molluscs. This species was on the brink of extinction in the 1980s, with only around two-hundred nesting sites. However, today it has nearly twelve-thousand nesting sites.
Sea turtles do not have retractable heads and flippers, and there is no sexual difference between the male and females. In fact, the only physical difference in the adults is that the male will have a longer and broader tail than the female. Sea turtles shed tears as a way of ridding their systems of salt water. These stunning sea creatures are treasures of the sea that hopefully can be appreciated by mankind for as long as there is water in the ocean. Browse this site for more fun sea turtle facts, because the wealth of information to be learned about these creatures is as boundless as the sea.
