Earth Stories: Sea Turtles

Facts:

Sea Turtles have been symbols of grace, fertility, wanderlust, and long life since the time of the dinosaurs, 208 million years ago. Though a Sea Turtle lives in the ocean, it doesn't have gills, so it must surface to breathe. Sea Turtles can dive more than 1000 feet but only stay down for about a half an hour. Only 1 in 1000 baby sea turtles will survive its first year of life, and only 1 in 5,000 to 10,000 will survive to adulthood. Most Sea Turtles live 50 years. Though Sea Turtles see very well in water, they are very shortsighted on land.

Sea Turtle Life:

The female Sea Turtle returns to the beach of her birth when she is 20-35 years old. Sea Turtle eggs are laid from May to October in NC, with 75-150 eggs per nest. The female digs and lays 2-4 nests per season, every 2-3 years. She comes ashore at night alone, finds a good spot above the high tide line, digs her nest with her flippers, lays her ping pong sized eggs, covers the nest with sand, and returns to the ocean, all in about two hours. Hatchlings, a few inches long, emerge about 60 days later. Her babies climb out of the nest, emerge at night and then make a mad dash for the ocean. Babies look for the area with the brighter light intensity (sky is brighter over the ocean). If the baby is not gobbled up by a waiting raccoon or a seagull (9 out of 10 will not make it to that wave) it dives into the waves and then rides the undertow out to sea. The baby sea turtle will swim nonstop for 2-4 days to get to the deep ocean and to hide for the first year in floating islands of seaweed, and other smaller ocean animals which the baby will feed on.

Dangers:

The predator Sea Turtles need to fear the most is man. Sea Turtles can drown in shrimp nets if they can't surface to breathe. Hatchlings will head for the lights of a parking lot or porch lights instead of the ocean and either get run over by a vehicle, die of dehydration, or get eaten by wild or domesticated animals. Pregnant Sea Turtles will not nest if the beach is occupied by beach chairs, vehicles, or sun-shades. They become sick and die after mistaking a plastic bag for a jellyfish. Baby Sea Turtles with a standing height of only about 1" tall cannot climb over ruts or sandcastle holes left in the sand on the beach, and they become easy pickins' for a heron or other beach night stalker.

Types of Sea Turtles:

NC beaches are home to five types of sea turtles. All are endangered.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle:
Length is 36." Weight is 176-440 pounds. They are mature around 28-33 years of age and then begin nesting every 2-3 years. They bite if they are disturbed. Their large heads and jaws are made for crushing hard shells. They are the main Sea Turtle to nest in North Carolina.
Leatherback Sea Turtle:
The largest of all sea turtles with an average length of five feet, weighing between 500 and 2,000 pounds. Their thin leathery skin allows them to dive to 3,900 feet. They call the world's entire oceans home.
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle:
The smallest. Length is 25." Weight is 80-100 pounds. North Atlantic from Massachusetts to the Caribbean is home. They are the rarest and the most endangered. In 1960 there were about 40,000 females, but only 550 in 1990. Through conservation efforts they have now increased to about 1,000 breeding females.
Green Sea Turtle:
Length is 39". Weight is 144-450 lbs. This sea turtle's name comes from the color of its fat, not the color of its shell. They swim in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They have been known to live up to 59 years.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle:
This turtle lives among the coral reefs and dines on sponges. It averages 31" long and 95-165 pounds. It is best known for tortoiseshell jewelry made from its shell. Its meat is poisonous to humans.