Sea Turtles: Physical Characteristics, Types, Ecological Importance, Habitat and Conservation

Have you ever watched a documentary or seen an image of a sea turtle? These creatures are really unique. For more than 100 million years, sea turtles have inhabited the planet. That means they were here even before the dinosaurs disappeared. They live in the ocean, travel thousands of kilometres and come to the shore only to lay eggs. Even today, people around the world work hard to protect them. Continue reading to find out why sea turtles are so fascinating. 

Table of Contents: 

• What Is a Sea Turtle
• Physical Characteristics of Sea Turtles
• Interesting Facts about Sea Turtles
• Why Are Sea Turtles Important
• Are Sea Turtles in Danger

What is a Sea Turtle

A sea turtle is an aquatic animal. Sea turtles breathe air and have cold blood, just as reptiles and snakes. However, they live nearly their whole lives in the sea, in contrast to most other reptiles. They are protected by a hard shell on their back and they can swim with flat flippers in place of legs. Sea turtles move incredibly smoothly in the water, but they are slow on land.

There are seven types of sea turtles in the world:

• Green Sea Turtle
• Leatherback Sea Turtle
• Loggerhead Sea Turtle
• Hawksbill Sea Turtle
• Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
• Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
• Flatback Sea Turtle

Each type is a little different in size, diet and where it lives.

Physical Characteristics of Sea Turtles

Shell

The carapace is the hard outer shell of sea turtles. It shields them from potential animal attacks. Sea turtles vary from land turtles in that they are unable to pull their heads or flippers within their shells.

Flippers

Sea turtles have broad, flat flippers in place of hands and feet. They can advance in the water because of their front flippers. They can shift direction with the aid of their back flippers. They are excellent swimmers because of these flippers.

Size

The sizes of sea turtles vary. The Kemp's Ridley is the smallest, weighing between 35 and 45 kg. The Leatherback is the largest, reaching a maximum weight of 900 kg and a maximum length of two meters.

How Long do Sea Turtles Live

Sea turtles have a very long lifespan. The majority of them have a 50–100 year lifespan. Some people might live even longer.

What they Eat

Sea turtles consume a variety of foods. Green turtles consume algae and seagrass. Coral reef sponges are consumed by hawksbill turtles. Jellyfish are a favourite of leatherback turtles. Crabs and other hard-shelled creatures are consumed by loggerhead turtles.

Finding their Way

Sea turtles are amazing travellers. They are able to return to the same beach after swimming across whole oceans. Scientists believe they do this by using the Earth's magnetic field, which functions as a natural internal compass.

Interesting Facts about Sea Turtles

• Sea turtles have been on Earth since the time of the dinosaurs.
• A female sea turtle always comes back to the same beach where she was born, just to lay her eggs.
• She can lay around 100 to 150 eggs in one nest.
• The sand temperature decides whether the babies will be male or female. Warmer sand makes more females. Cooler sand makes more males.
• Baby turtles are called hatchlings. They break out of their eggs at night and crawl straight to the ocean on their own.
• A sea turtle can hold its breath for up to 7 hours when it is resting or sleeping.
• The Leatherback turtle does not have a hard shell like other sea turtles. Its back is covered with thick, leathery skin.

Why are Sea Turtles Important

Sea turtles do more for the ocean than most people realise.

• Green turtles graze on seagrass, which keeps the grass healthy and short. This is good for many other sea animals.
• The consumption of sponges by hawksbill turtles promotes the growth of coral reefs.
• The shells and unhatched eggs that sea turtles deposit on beaches enrich the soil with nutrients. This promotes the growth of vegetation near the coast.

The balance of marine life would be impacted in the absence of sea turtles.

Are Sea Turtles in Danger

Yes, sadly, sea turtles are in danger. All seven kinds of sea turtles around the world need protection today.

There are many reasons for this.

• Plastic waste in the ocean is a big problem. Sea turtles sometimes mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them, which can make them very sick.
• Many turtles also get trapped in fishing nets by accident and are unable to escape.
• Beaches where turtles lay their eggs are becoming crowded because of buildings, bright lights and too many visitors. This makes it difficult for turtles to nest safely.
• In some places, people still steal turtle eggs and shells.

The good news is that many people are trying to help sea turtles. Several countries have made laws to protect them. During the nesting season, volunteers visit beaches and protect turtle eggs until they hatch. In India, many people work to protect Olive Ridley turtles along the beaches of Odisha, Goa and Tamil Nadu.