Encountering inexperienced sea turtles of their pure habitats is a rare privilege. These swish marine reptiles, at present categorized as endangered, face threats starting from the overharvesting of their eggs and looking to entanglement in fishing nets, ocean plastic air pollution and the lack of essential nesting habitats. Primarily inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters across the globe, these turtles provide vacationers uncommon moments of connection throughout expeditions reminiscent of Nat Hab’s Sea Turtles & Wildlife of Northern Costa Rica and our Final Australia Safari, highlighting the significance of conservation journey in defending these historic mariners.

Listed below are 13 inexperienced sea turtle information to know earlier than you go!

1. How huge are inexperienced sea turtles?

Inexperienced sea turtles are the biggest hard-shelled marine turtles on this planet. They’ll develop to five toes and weigh as much as 500 lbs.

2. What do inexperienced sea turtles eat?

Not like most sea turtles, grownup inexperienced sea turtles are herbivorous, feeding on seagrass and algae. Juveniles, nonetheless, additionally eat invertebrates like crabs, jellyfish and sponges.

3. Key hyperlink within the marine meals chain

Sea turtles fill an vital ecological function in ocean ecosystems by controlling prey species and themselves offering meals to bigger predators reminiscent of fish, sharks and birds.

4. What makes inexperienced sea turtles inexperienced?

The inexperienced sea turtle’s carapace, or shell, is often brown or olive. Their identify comes from the greenish coloration of the fats beneath their pores and skin, because of the algae and grasses they eat.

5. Older than dinosaurs

Sea turtles are reptiles whose ancestors took to the ocean about 150 million years in the past. They’re one of many few species so historic that they watched the dinosaurs evolve and turn into extinct.

6. No place to cover

Like different sea turtles, the inexperienced turtle can not pull its head into its shell.

7. How briskly can inexperienced sea turtles swim?

On land, turtles are sluggish, however within the water, their highly effective flippers permit them to swim gracefully at speeds as much as 35 mph!

8. Solar seekers

Often seen sunbathing alongside seals and albatrosses, the inexperienced sea turtle is among the few marine turtles identified to depart the water apart from at nesting occasions.

9. The place do inexperienced sea turtles stay?

Although marine turtles stay in each ocean however the Arctic, inexperienced sea turtles stay in tropical and subtropical waters and are generally discovered (besides when migrating) inside reefs, bays, and inlets.

10. Child inexperienced sea turtles face a harmful journey

Feminine turtles dig a pit within the sand, fill it with a clutch of 100 to 200 eggs and return to the ocean, leaving the eggs to hatch after about two months. Infants hatch at evening to keep away from predators, however many by no means attain the ocean.

11. Do sea turtles cry?

Inexperienced sea turtles possess a salt excretory gland on the nook of the attention. They might appear like they’re crying, however they’re actually adjusting their physique’s water steadiness.

12. Boy or woman? Tips on how to predict

The gender of the hatchlings will depend on the sand temperature. Much less dense, hotter sand decreases incubation time and leads to extra feminine hatchlings.

13. World Wildlife Fund’s work with sea turtles

WWF’s work with sea turtles seeks to cut back the lack of turtle habitat, the detrimental affect of bycatch on turtles and unlawful commerce in turtle merchandise reminiscent of meat and eggs. WWF works to guard nesting seashores, promotes ecotourism at sea turtle websites that contain and profit native communities, lobbies for turtle-friendly fishing practices and helps regional and worldwide agreements to preserve marine turtles.