5/28/2023 0 Comments Seaturtle nemo gif![]() Leatherbacks are capable of withstanding the coldest water temperatures (often below 40˚F) and are found as far south as Chile and as far north as Alaska. ![]() Some loggerheads nest in Japan and migrate to Baja California Sur, Mexico to forage before returning home again. They migrate long distances to feed, often crossing entire oceans. Sea turtles live in almost every ocean basin throughout the world, nesting on tropical and subtropical beaches. Leatherbacks and loggerheads can travel thousands of miles each year, while greens and olive ridleys have shorter migrations, while hawksbills rarely leave a relatively small area. Some sea turtles migrate very long distances while others stay close to home. Sea turtles don’t have a favorite food (though most will eat jellyfish.) Each species focuses on different prey for food the leatherback eats mostly jellyfish, greens primarily eat seagrass, loggerheads prefer crustaceans, and hawksbills eat primarily sea sponges. That temperature is generally around 82 degrees F (29 degrees C) though that can vary by species and location. The sex of sea turtles, like other reptiles, depends on the temperature in the nest. But the female adults can lay thousands of eggs over their lifetimes, so at least a few of them survive to maintain the species. They have many natural predators including birds, crabs, fish, and mammals like racoons. It is estimated that only one out of 1,000 hatchlings survives to be an adult. Flatbacks are listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List but are listed as endangered in Australia. Two are critically endangered (hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley), one is endangered (green and and three are threatened (leatherback, olive ridley, and loggerhead). 5 facts About Sea TurtlesĪll seven species are considered threatened or endangered. Their size varies greatly, depending upon species - from the small Kemp’s ridley, which weighs between 80–100 pounds, to the enormous leatherback, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. These creatures are well-adapted to the ocean though they require air to survive. Sadly, the fact is that they face many dangers as they travel the seas - including accidental capture and entanglement in fishing gear (also known as bycatch), the loss of nesting and feeding sites to coastal development, poaching, and ocean pollution including plastic. ![]() Those that make it through the gauntlet swim to offshore sargassum floats where they will spend their early years mostly hiding and growing.From leatherbacks to loggerheads, six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered at the hand of humans. ![]() Hatching and moving to the sea all at the same time help the little critters overwhelm waiting predators, which include sea birds, foxes, raccoons, and wild dogs. In some areas, these events go by the colloquial term "turtle boils." Once hatched, the turtles find their way to the ocean via the downward slope of the beach and the reflections of the moon and stars on the water. ![]() When the tiny turtles are ready to hatch out, they do so virtually in unison, creating a scene in the sandy nest that is reminiscent of a pot of boiling water. Current NOAA research suggests that warming trends due to climate change may cause a higher ratio of female sea turtles, potentially affecting genetic diversity. The phenomenon is called Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, or TSD, and governs the genders of other reptiles, too, including alligators and crocodiles. The temperature of the sand determines the genders of baby sea turtles, with cooler sand producing more males and warmer sand producing more females. The sea turtle lays up to 100 eggs, which incubate in the warm sand for about 60 days. Digging the nest and laying her eggs usually takes from one to three hours, after which the mother turtle slowly drags herself back to the ocean. Using her back flippers, the reptile digs a nest in the sand. They swim through the crashing surf and crawl up the beach searching for a nesting spot above the high water mark. In summertime when the weather is warm, pregnant female sea turtles return to the beaches where they themselves hatched years before. ![]()
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