Wildlife
Green sea turtles, so named for the colour of their skin, spend almost all of their lives under water. They are one of the most widespread turtle species found throughout the tropical and subtropical oceans of the world, and their ecology changes drastically according to the stages of their lives.
The newly emerged hatchlings crawl down to the sea from their beach hatcheries and live in the open sea feeding on small fish, crustaceans and jellyfish. Unusually, the adults are herbivorous, spending their lives grazing among the seagrass beds in shallower waters. Adult green turtles don’t have teeth but instead sport a finely serrated unhooked beak with which they can scrape algae off hard surfaces.
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Buried treasure
Green sea turtle eggs are a bounty for skinny Arabian foxes.
Green sea turtle eggs are a bounty for skinny Arabian foxes.
Every turtle counts
If sand temperatures are high then most green turtle eggs will be female.
If sand temperatures are high then most green turtle eggs will be female.
100m sprint
Baby green turtles need to sprint to reach the sea or risk being eaten.
Baby green turtles need to sprint to reach the sea or risk being eaten.
Under night skies
Baby green turtles use the cover of night to avoid being eaten.
Female green sea turtles leave the relative safety of the sea to lay up to 200 eggs in the sand on the darkest nights. This protects the eggs from predators such as the black vulture. Camera operator, Justine Evans uses a thermal imaging camera to witness some green turtle hatchlings also using the cover of night to get to the sea but it is getting close to dawn. The black vultures' poor eyesight is evident as the hatchlings successfully move past them and enter the sea.
Running the gauntlet
Green sea turtle hatchlings rely on strength in numbers to survive the ruthless rufous night-herons.
Green sea turtle hatchlings rely on strength in numbers to survive the ruthless rufous night-herons.
The Green sea turtle can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Indian subcontinent, South America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Green sea turtle distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Endangered
Population trend: Decreasing
Year assessed: 2004
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace.
This sea turtle's dorsoventrally flattened body is covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace; it has a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although in the eastern Pacific populations parts of the carapace can be almost black. Unlike other members of its family, such as the hawksbill sea turtle, C. mydas is mostly herbivorous. The adults usually inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of seagrasses.
Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and scramble into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to eighty years in the wild.
C. mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them. In addition, many countries have laws and ordinances to protect nesting areas. However, turtles are still in danger because of several human practices. In some countries, turtles and their eggs are hunted for food. Pollution indirectly harms turtles at both population and individual scales. Many turtles die caught in fishing nets. Also, real estate development often causes habitat loss by eliminating nesting beaches.
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Sea bed
Intertidal zone
Shallow seas
Open ocean
Reefs
Migration
Predation defence
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Herbivorous
Egg layer
Active at birth