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April 30, 2024  |  By Matt Hamas

Green Sea Turtle Swimming

Green Sea Turtle Swimming Live

Green Sea Turtle - IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered

Green sea turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys

Green turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys. They appear similar to a hawksbill turtle, however there are some identifying features we can look for. The green sea turtle bill is not beak-like.  Hawksbills have a distinct overbite and bill. Although hard to tell from the angle, this turtle has just one pair of plates between its eyes. A hawksbill would have two pairs of plates between its eyes. This turtle is about two feet long. Based on these identifiers we can say this is a green turtle.

Honu

So why are they called green turtles? Many people think it has to do with the color of their shell, but the name is actually derived from their green colored fatty tissue (which is not visible). Next logical question, why is their tissue green? Their tissue is green because of the amount of green colored vegetation (mainly sea grasses) they consume.

Sea turtles famously return to the same beach they were born on to lay their own eggs. People often suggest turtles are using the earth’s magnetic field to navigate. In an experiment, researchers satellite tagged green turtles making migrations from Ascension Island to the Brazilian coast (more than 1000 miles away).  Strong magnets were attached to some of the sea turtles to create variable magnetic fields around the turtles in an effort to hinder their ability to navigate. The turtles with and without the magnetic interference both performed the same. Satellite tags showed both groups were able to maintain course straightness and navigational performance. So, what does it all mean? It suggests that there may be more than magnetic cues that are responsible for sea turtle navigation. 

The lifecycle of a turtle is wild. It is estimated only 1% of hatchlings reach sexual maturity. It takes green sea turtles a long time to reach sexual maturity (~25 years). In the wild, they can live for up to eighty years. Like us they can be a creature of habit. Green turtles often return to the same area each night to rest. 

Want to read more about green turtles? Back in 2020, I wrote about a green sea turtle that had become tangled in fishing line

Green Sea Turtle

The lifecycle of a turtle is wild

Did you know?

  • The largest green sea turtle on record weighed 871 pounds!
  • Green sea turtles nest in ~80 different countries.
  • There is a fossil of a sea turtle from at least 120 million years ago.
  • Green sea turtles can sleep underwater for a few hours at a time before returning to the surface for air.
This Month's Gallery
diving green green sea turtle scuba sea turtle turtle underwater

Article by Matt Hamas

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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