THIS IS FOR SCHOOL. PLEASE IGNORE!!!! THANK YOU.
Danielle Hathaway
November 8, 2004
Block-2
The Green Sea turtle
Did you know that the green sea turtle gets its name from the way it looks? Its due to all the "green" tissue that they have that surrounds their body. In Hawaii, the green sea turtle is called "honu". Also the Latin name for them is "chelonia mydas". You can find green sea turtles all over the world, but most like to dwell off the coasts of Florida. Otherwise, they like to stay near the Hawaiian Islands. This is due to the fact that the green sea turtles use the islands as a type of feeding ground. It's said that about 90% migrate to the northwestern Hawaiian Islands to mate and nest.
When the sea turtle is born its feeding habits show it to be omnivorous. However, when it becomes and an adult, the sea turtle becomes strictly herbivorous. When a green sea turtle is a baby, it feeds on jelly fish, fish eggs, or plankton. Between the ages of 3-7 known as the “lost years”, it is unknown what the green sea turtle eat. When adults, the turtles feed upon “limu pastures”. This is also known as algae, mainly located near the Hawaiian Islands. That’s where they get there name from, because the algae is green, thus they are the “green” sea turtles.
At the age of 25, the green sea turtles reach sexual maturity. Sometimes it can take up to at least 50 years to reach this period! Male turtles tend to migrate at this time once a year, while females migrate every 2-4 years. Mating season begins in the month of April and lasts all the way to September. Meaning the peak months are June/July. When laying eggs the female goes along the coastline at night time. She digs a hole in the sand and lays as many as 5 times between the periods of 11-18 day intervals. At most she delivers 100-120 ping pong ball sized eggs. After laying eggs, the mother, uses her flippers and covers the eggs with the dirt. After about 60 days, the hatchlings crawl to the surface of the dirt and dig there way out. They automatically head towards the water and are not seen again until they are juveniles.
Some interesting facts are that females are said to migrate to the same place that they were born. Also after the eggs are laid and buried, with the temperature created, is what determines whether the turtles born will be male or female. If lower temperatures, it will be male. If higher temperatures, it will be female. Green sea turtles can live up to 80 years of age.
Furthermore, the green sea turtle has to battle predators. Its main predator is the tiger shark. However for young sea turtles, there predators are crabs, fish, birds, and maybe even cats or dogs. The main killer of the sea turtles is humans. Unfortunately, humans kill green sea turtles mainly for the oils they produce, the meat on their bones, the eggs they hatch, or the shells on their back. Due to this, green sea turtles are now becoming extinct. One way you can help is by reporting any sittings of mistreatment, harassment, or killings of these beautiful creatures.