- Turtles have been on the earth for more than 200 million years. They evolved before mammals, birds, crocodiles, snakes, and even lizards.
- The earliest turtles had teeth and could not retract their heads, but other than this, modern turtles are very similar to their original ancestors.
- Russian Tortoise
- Several species of turtles can live to be over a hundred years of age including the American Box Turtle.
- One documented case of longevity involves an adult Indian Ocean Giant Tortoise that, when captured as an adult, was estimated to be fifty years old. It then lived another 152 years in captivity.
- Turtles live on every continent except Antarctica.
- Turtles will live in almost any climate warm enough to allow them to complete their breeding cycle.
- Box Turtle
- While most turtles do not tolerate the cold well, the Blanding's turtle has been observed swimming under the ice in the Great Lakes region.
- Turtles range in size from the 4-inch Bog Turtle to the 1500-pound Leathery Turtle.
- North America contains a large variety of turtle species, but Europe contains only two species of turtle and three species of tortoise.
- The top domed part of a turtle's shell is called the carapace, and the bottom underlying part is called the plastron.
- Greek Tortoise
- The shell of a turtle is made up of 60 different bones all connected together.
- The bony portion of the shell is covered with plates (scutes) that are derivatives of skin and offer additional strength and protection.
- Most land tortoises have high, domed carapaces that offer protection from the snapping jaws of terrestrial predators. Aquatic turtles tend to have flatter, more aerodynamically shaped shells. An exception to the dome-shaped tortoise shell is the Pancake Tortoise of East Africa that will wedge itself between narrow rocks when threatened and then inflates itself with air making extraction nearly impossible.
- Most turtle species have five toes on each limb with a few exceptions including the American Box Turtle of the Carolina species that only has four toes and, in some cases, only three.
- Red Earred Slider
- Turtles have good eyesight and an excellent sense of smell. Hearing and sense of touch are both good and even the shell contains nerve endings.
- Some aquatic turtles can absorb oxygen through the skin on their neck and cloacal areas allowing them to remain submerged underwater for extended periods of time and enabling them to hibernate underwater.
- Turtles are one of the oldest and most primitive groups of reptiles and have outlived many other species. One can only wonder if their unique shell is responsible for their longevity.
Showing posts with label turtle facts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turtle facts. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Turtle & Tortoise Fun Facts
Turtle & Tortoise Fun Facts
Basic Facts About Sea Turtles
Sea turtles are one of the Earth's most ancient creatures. The seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs. The sea turtle's shell, or "carapace" is streamlined for swimming through the water. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. Their color varies between yellow, greenish and black depending on the species.
Diet
What sea turtles eat depends on the subspecies, but some common items include jellyfish, seaweed, crabs, shrimp, sponges, snails, algae and mollusks.
Population
It is difficult to find population numbers for sea turtles because male and juvenile sea turtles do not return to shore once they hatch and reach the ocean, which makes it hard to keep track of them.Range
Green sea turtles can stay under water for as long as five hours even though the length of a feeding dive is usually five minutes or less. Their heart rate slows to conserve oxygen: nine minutes may elapse between heartbeats.
Sea turtles are found in all warm and temperate waters throughout the world and migrate hundreds of miles between nesting and feeding grounds. Most sea turtles undergo long migrations, some as far as 1400 miles, between their feeding grounds and the beaches where they nest.
Behavior
Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the water, where not much information can be gathered on their behavior. Most of what is known about sea turtle behavior is obtained by observing hatchlings and females that leave the water to lay eggs. Sea turtles, like salmon, will return to the same nesting grounds at which they were born. When females come to the shore they dig out a nest in the ground with their back flippers, bury their clutch of eggs and return to the ocean. After hatching, the young may take as long as a week to dig themselves out of the nest. They emerge at night, move toward the ocean and remain there, solitary, until it is time to mate.
Temperature: Temperatures of the sand where the turtles nest determine the sex of the turtle: below 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30ºC) is predominately male; above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30ºC) is predominately female.
Mating Season: March-October depending on the species.
Gestation: 6-10 weeks.
Clutch size: Between 70-190 eggs depending on the species.
When the young hatch out of their eggs, they make their way to the ocean. Few survive to adulthood.
Sea turtles are one of the Earth's most ancient creatures. The seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs. The sea turtle's shell, or "carapace" is streamlined for swimming through the water. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. Their color varies between yellow, greenish and black depending on the species.
Diet
What sea turtles eat depends on the subspecies, but some common items include jellyfish, seaweed, crabs, shrimp, sponges, snails, algae and mollusks.
Population
It is difficult to find population numbers for sea turtles because male and juvenile sea turtles do not return to shore once they hatch and reach the ocean, which makes it hard to keep track of them.Range
Green sea turtles can stay under water for as long as five hours even though the length of a feeding dive is usually five minutes or less. Their heart rate slows to conserve oxygen: nine minutes may elapse between heartbeats.
Sea turtles are found in all warm and temperate waters throughout the world and migrate hundreds of miles between nesting and feeding grounds. Most sea turtles undergo long migrations, some as far as 1400 miles, between their feeding grounds and the beaches where they nest.
Behavior
Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the water, where not much information can be gathered on their behavior. Most of what is known about sea turtle behavior is obtained by observing hatchlings and females that leave the water to lay eggs. Sea turtles, like salmon, will return to the same nesting grounds at which they were born. When females come to the shore they dig out a nest in the ground with their back flippers, bury their clutch of eggs and return to the ocean. After hatching, the young may take as long as a week to dig themselves out of the nest. They emerge at night, move toward the ocean and remain there, solitary, until it is time to mate.
Temperature: Temperatures of the sand where the turtles nest determine the sex of the turtle: below 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30ºC) is predominately male; above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30ºC) is predominately female.
Mating Season: March-October depending on the species.
Gestation: 6-10 weeks.
Clutch size: Between 70-190 eggs depending on the species.
When the young hatch out of their eggs, they make their way to the ocean. Few survive to adulthood.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
FLATBACK TURTLE
FLATBACK TURTLE
The flatback turtle is named after its flat carapace, or shell, which is unlike the curved shell of other sea turtle species. The carapace is pale grayish-green in color with the outer margins distinctly upturned. An adult flatback weighs 200 pounds and is approximately 3 feet in length. They have the smallest distribution of all the species and breed and nest only in Australia.
Did You Know?
Flatbacks are preyed upon by Saltwater crocodiles, the largest reptile on earth. Adult females have been observed being attacked by crocs while attempting to nest.
Despite its small range and non-migratory behavior, until now this has been the least studied of the sea turtle species, perhaps due in part to the remoteness of much of their habitat.
Facts & Tidbits
In comparison to other sea turtle species that lay 100-200 eggs per nest, this species lays an average of 50 per nest. Their eggs and hatchlings however, are proportionally larger than other species, which may aid hatchlings in evading predators.
The flatback is an omnivore, feeding on a variety of prey including sea cucumbers, jellies, soft corals, shrimp, crabs, molluscs, fish, and seaweed. Learn more about their diet.
They are listed as Vulnerable under the Australian Commonwealth’s Endangered Species Protection Act. They are listed as data deficient by the IUCN Red List.
Their scientific name is Natator depressus.
Distribution
The flatback has the smallest geographic range of the seven sea turtle species. Their distribution is restricted to tropical regions of the continental shelf and coastal waters of Northern Australia, Southern Indonesia, and Southern Papua New Guinea. They do not have an oceanic phase or undertake long, open ocean migrations like other sea turtles, and are usually found in waters less than 200 feet in depth.
Breeding and nesting only occur in Australia with the largest concentration of females nesting on Crab Island in the NE Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. Primary nesting beaches are distributed from East to West across Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
Threats
Threats to this species include direct harvest for meat and eggs, incidental capture in fishing gear, destruction of nesting beaches from coastal development, pollution, and destruction of feeding habitat (coral reefs and shallow nearshore areas). Dingos and foxes once posed a significant threat to their nests but thanks to predator control programs, this threat has been greatly reduced.
Nests and hatchlings however are preyed upon by the Sand Monitor lizard, birds-including Night Herons and Pelicans, and feral pigs. In some areas, feral pigs consume almost all their nests.
The flatback turtle is named after its flat carapace, or shell, which is unlike the curved shell of other sea turtle species. The carapace is pale grayish-green in color with the outer margins distinctly upturned. An adult flatback weighs 200 pounds and is approximately 3 feet in length. They have the smallest distribution of all the species and breed and nest only in Australia.
Did You Know?
Flatbacks are preyed upon by Saltwater crocodiles, the largest reptile on earth. Adult females have been observed being attacked by crocs while attempting to nest.
Despite its small range and non-migratory behavior, until now this has been the least studied of the sea turtle species, perhaps due in part to the remoteness of much of their habitat.
Facts & Tidbits
In comparison to other sea turtle species that lay 100-200 eggs per nest, this species lays an average of 50 per nest. Their eggs and hatchlings however, are proportionally larger than other species, which may aid hatchlings in evading predators.
The flatback is an omnivore, feeding on a variety of prey including sea cucumbers, jellies, soft corals, shrimp, crabs, molluscs, fish, and seaweed. Learn more about their diet.
They are listed as Vulnerable under the Australian Commonwealth’s Endangered Species Protection Act. They are listed as data deficient by the IUCN Red List.
Their scientific name is Natator depressus.
Distribution
The flatback has the smallest geographic range of the seven sea turtle species. Their distribution is restricted to tropical regions of the continental shelf and coastal waters of Northern Australia, Southern Indonesia, and Southern Papua New Guinea. They do not have an oceanic phase or undertake long, open ocean migrations like other sea turtles, and are usually found in waters less than 200 feet in depth.
Breeding and nesting only occur in Australia with the largest concentration of females nesting on Crab Island in the NE Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. Primary nesting beaches are distributed from East to West across Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
Threats
Threats to this species include direct harvest for meat and eggs, incidental capture in fishing gear, destruction of nesting beaches from coastal development, pollution, and destruction of feeding habitat (coral reefs and shallow nearshore areas). Dingos and foxes once posed a significant threat to their nests but thanks to predator control programs, this threat has been greatly reduced.
Nests and hatchlings however are preyed upon by the Sand Monitor lizard, birds-including Night Herons and Pelicans, and feral pigs. In some areas, feral pigs consume almost all their nests.
KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
Until recently, the endangered Kemp’s ridley turtle was on the brink of extinction. Thanks to strict protection laws implemented in the 1960’s which protected their nesting beaches in Mexico, the species has begun a slow, but steady comeback from a previous low of only 200 nesting individuals in the 1980’s, to over 12,000 nests laid in 2006 in Mexico.
These are the smallest of the seven sea turtle species, weighing between 75-100 pounds (35 - 45 kg) and measuring approximately 2 feet (.6 m) in length.
Facts & Tidbits
This is the only species that nests primarily during the day. They also nest in mass similar to their relative the Olive ridley (also known as an arribada).
They possesses a triangular shaped head with a hooked beak and strong jaws. They inhabit nearshore habitats where they forage for their favorite prey, crabs. They also eat fish, jellies, shrimp, and a variety of molluscs. Learn more about their diet.
They are considered Critically Endangered around the world by the IUCN Red List and listed as Endangered in the US.
Kemp’s ridleys reach sexual maturity between 10-15 years of age which is significantly younger than most of the other species.
Their scientific name is Lepidochelys kempii.
Distribution
In the US, these turtles are found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast as far north as Nova Scotia. The primary nesting grounds in Mexico are at Rancho Nuevo, in the state of Tamaulipas, and in Texas along the Padre Island National Seashore. A small number have also nested further north along the Texas coast. However, 95% of all nesting occurs in Mexico in the state of Tamaulipas.
Major Threats
Their population today is a fraction of the population recorded in the 1940’s. The demise of the population is attributed to human interactions, including the hunting for their meat and eggs. Incidental capture in fishing gear also poses an enormous threat for this species. Bottom trawling, longline, and gillnet fisheries are all responsible for a large number of deaths every year.
Until recently, the endangered Kemp’s ridley turtle was on the brink of extinction. Thanks to strict protection laws implemented in the 1960’s which protected their nesting beaches in Mexico, the species has begun a slow, but steady comeback from a previous low of only 200 nesting individuals in the 1980’s, to over 12,000 nests laid in 2006 in Mexico.
These are the smallest of the seven sea turtle species, weighing between 75-100 pounds (35 - 45 kg) and measuring approximately 2 feet (.6 m) in length.
Facts & Tidbits
This is the only species that nests primarily during the day. They also nest in mass similar to their relative the Olive ridley (also known as an arribada).
They possesses a triangular shaped head with a hooked beak and strong jaws. They inhabit nearshore habitats where they forage for their favorite prey, crabs. They also eat fish, jellies, shrimp, and a variety of molluscs. Learn more about their diet.
They are considered Critically Endangered around the world by the IUCN Red List and listed as Endangered in the US.
Kemp’s ridleys reach sexual maturity between 10-15 years of age which is significantly younger than most of the other species.
Their scientific name is Lepidochelys kempii.
Distribution
In the US, these turtles are found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast as far north as Nova Scotia. The primary nesting grounds in Mexico are at Rancho Nuevo, in the state of Tamaulipas, and in Texas along the Padre Island National Seashore. A small number have also nested further north along the Texas coast. However, 95% of all nesting occurs in Mexico in the state of Tamaulipas.
Major Threats
Their population today is a fraction of the population recorded in the 1940’s. The demise of the population is attributed to human interactions, including the hunting for their meat and eggs. Incidental capture in fishing gear also poses an enormous threat for this species. Bottom trawling, longline, and gillnet fisheries are all responsible for a large number of deaths every year.
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
One of the larger species of sea turtles, the loggerhead turtle ranges from 200-400 pounds (90 - 180 kg) and up to 4 feet in length (1.2 meters). They occur throughout temperate and tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.
One of the most abundant of the species found in the US, they are named for their large head and strong crushing jaw (right) which enables them to eat hard-shelled prey such as crabs, conchs, and whelks. Learn about their diet.
Facts & Tidbits
One population of these turtles nests in Japan and migrates across the entire Pacific Ocean to the rich feeding grounds off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, where they spend several years foraging and maturing.
The first marine creature tracked across an entire ocean was a loggerhead nicknamed “Adelita” (right).
In the US, most of their nests are laid in Florida, however in the last decade the number of nests in Florida has declined by 40%.
They are listed as Endangered around the world by the IUCN Red List and Threatened in the US.
Their scientific name is Caretta caretta.
Distribution
Loggerheads are found in every ocean around the world. Only leatherbacks have a wider distribution. The largest concentration of nesting occurs on Masirah Island off the coast of Oman in the Middle East. In the Pacific, their main nesting grounds include Japan and Australia. In the Atlantic, the main concentration occurs in Florida. They are the most common species in the Mediterranean, nesting on beaches in Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Libya.
Major Threats
Their biggest threat is incidental capture (also known as “bycatch”) in commercial fishing gear, including trawls, longlines, gillnets, and traps and pots. In the US trawl fishery, devices called TED’s, or Turtle Excluder Devices are required by law. These devices allow sea turtles to escape out of the nets, however in other parts of the world these devices are not regulated and they continue to be caught.
Recent scientific studies co-authored by SEE Turtles co-founder Dr. Nichols have shown the waters off Baja California Sur, Mexico to have among the highest rates of turtle bycatch in the world. In some parts of the world, they are also consumed for their meat and eggs. Beachfront development is also a threat, particularly in the Mediterranean.
One of the larger species of sea turtles, the loggerhead turtle ranges from 200-400 pounds (90 - 180 kg) and up to 4 feet in length (1.2 meters). They occur throughout temperate and tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.
One of the most abundant of the species found in the US, they are named for their large head and strong crushing jaw (right) which enables them to eat hard-shelled prey such as crabs, conchs, and whelks. Learn about their diet.
Facts & Tidbits
One population of these turtles nests in Japan and migrates across the entire Pacific Ocean to the rich feeding grounds off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, where they spend several years foraging and maturing.
The first marine creature tracked across an entire ocean was a loggerhead nicknamed “Adelita” (right).
In the US, most of their nests are laid in Florida, however in the last decade the number of nests in Florida has declined by 40%.
They are listed as Endangered around the world by the IUCN Red List and Threatened in the US.
Their scientific name is Caretta caretta.
Distribution
Loggerheads are found in every ocean around the world. Only leatherbacks have a wider distribution. The largest concentration of nesting occurs on Masirah Island off the coast of Oman in the Middle East. In the Pacific, their main nesting grounds include Japan and Australia. In the Atlantic, the main concentration occurs in Florida. They are the most common species in the Mediterranean, nesting on beaches in Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Libya.
Major Threats
Their biggest threat is incidental capture (also known as “bycatch”) in commercial fishing gear, including trawls, longlines, gillnets, and traps and pots. In the US trawl fishery, devices called TED’s, or Turtle Excluder Devices are required by law. These devices allow sea turtles to escape out of the nets, however in other parts of the world these devices are not regulated and they continue to be caught.
Recent scientific studies co-authored by SEE Turtles co-founder Dr. Nichols have shown the waters off Baja California Sur, Mexico to have among the highest rates of turtle bycatch in the world. In some parts of the world, they are also consumed for their meat and eggs. Beachfront development is also a threat, particularly in the Mediterranean.
GREEN TURTLE
GREEN TURTLE
The green turtle is the second largest after the leatherback. They can weigh up to 500 lbs (225 kg) and reach four feet (1.2 m) in length. The adult is an herbivore, dining on sea grasses, seaweeds, algae and other forms of marine plant life. Their beak is sharp and finely serrated, perfectly adapted for grazing in seagrass beds and scraping algae off of hard surfaces.
This species is the only one to come on shore regularly to bask. Basking only occurs in Hawaii, particularly the Northwestern Hawaiian Island chain, the Galapagos Islands, and in some areas of Australia.
Facts & Tidbits
These turtles are believed to improve the health of seagrass beds and associated microhabitats. They will graze the beds, taking off the tops of leaf blades, while avoiding the roots. This has the same effect of mowing a lawn or getting a haircut. The seagrass will grow healthier and faster with a daily trim! Learn about their diet.
Greens in the Eastern Pacific are called Pacific Black turtles and some researchers believe they are a separate species. Their coloration is not black, but their skin pigmentation is darker than other green turtles, making them appear darker overall. They are also smaller and their carapace is slightly different in shape.
Their name comes from the color of their fat, not their shell, as commonly believed.
They are listed as Endangered in the US and around the world by the IUCN Red List.
Their scientific name is Chelonia mydas.
Distribution
This species can be found in the sub-tropics and tropics worldwide, with major nesting beaches in Tortuguero (Costa Rica), Oman, Florida, and Raine Island (Australia) where thousands of turtles nest each night during peak nesting season. They are also found nesting on French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Suriname, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Threats
Population declines are mainly due to harvest for eggs and meat for human consumption. Fibropapilloma (also known as FP) is a disease associated with lesions and rapid tumor growth on the eyes, mouth, and soft-skin areas, as well as internal organs. FP, believed to be connected to pollution, has greatly affected their populations, especially in Florida and Hawaii, but also the Caribbean and Australia.
Other threats include ingestion of marine debris, boat strikes, coastal development, feeding habitat degradation, and incidental capture in fishing gear.
The green turtle is the second largest after the leatherback. They can weigh up to 500 lbs (225 kg) and reach four feet (1.2 m) in length. The adult is an herbivore, dining on sea grasses, seaweeds, algae and other forms of marine plant life. Their beak is sharp and finely serrated, perfectly adapted for grazing in seagrass beds and scraping algae off of hard surfaces.
This species is the only one to come on shore regularly to bask. Basking only occurs in Hawaii, particularly the Northwestern Hawaiian Island chain, the Galapagos Islands, and in some areas of Australia.
Facts & Tidbits
These turtles are believed to improve the health of seagrass beds and associated microhabitats. They will graze the beds, taking off the tops of leaf blades, while avoiding the roots. This has the same effect of mowing a lawn or getting a haircut. The seagrass will grow healthier and faster with a daily trim! Learn about their diet.
Greens in the Eastern Pacific are called Pacific Black turtles and some researchers believe they are a separate species. Their coloration is not black, but their skin pigmentation is darker than other green turtles, making them appear darker overall. They are also smaller and their carapace is slightly different in shape.
Their name comes from the color of their fat, not their shell, as commonly believed.
They are listed as Endangered in the US and around the world by the IUCN Red List.
Their scientific name is Chelonia mydas.
Distribution
This species can be found in the sub-tropics and tropics worldwide, with major nesting beaches in Tortuguero (Costa Rica), Oman, Florida, and Raine Island (Australia) where thousands of turtles nest each night during peak nesting season. They are also found nesting on French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Suriname, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Threats
Population declines are mainly due to harvest for eggs and meat for human consumption. Fibropapilloma (also known as FP) is a disease associated with lesions and rapid tumor growth on the eyes, mouth, and soft-skin areas, as well as internal organs. FP, believed to be connected to pollution, has greatly affected their populations, especially in Florida and Hawaii, but also the Caribbean and Australia.
Other threats include ingestion of marine debris, boat strikes, coastal development, feeding habitat degradation, and incidental capture in fishing gear.
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