Green sea turtles are not named for their green coloration ( they are commonly olive-brown with dark streaks) but for the color of their body fat. Now, Chelonia mydas as it is scientifically called is unique in many ways, just as the other species. Its name first of, Chelonia mydas, literally means “turtle from the sea”. It is also the best known sea turtle to Americans because it can be found in the east in the waters along all gulf coast states, north to long Island Sound, and south to the U.S Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and in the west off California and Hawaii.

The edge of a green sea turtle carapace is smooth or slightly wavy. A small, yet distinguishing trait is the single pair of elongate prefrontal scales on the upper snout; most of the other species have them divided into four prefrontal scutes. The underside (plastron) tends to be white in the young and yellowish in adults. The jaws are used primarily for grazing on sea grasses, are not as beak like as the loggerheads, and have serrated surfaces. The paddle-shaped flippers each have only a single claw.
Green sea turtles are known for their grace in the water, their beautiful shells, and their big gentle eyes. Unfortunately for them, humans have also long found them to be utterly delicious. It is the animals green fat ( which is made from a steady diet of algae and sea grass) and muscle that can boo cooked into turtle soup and steak. For that and many other reasons, green sea turtles are endangered.
That is really unfortunate, because at one time, green turtles were among the most abundant of sea turtles, and were found literally in the millions between North Carolina and Argentina. Now, lets move on to what the turtles actually eat, because they have quite the unique diet. As hatchlings and juveniles they will dine happily on jellyfish. Once they grow older, they begin to consume sea grasses and algae. As adults, they are exclusively vegetarians.

Green sea turtles typically hangout under rocks and coral ledges in relatively shallow waters. They prefer to graze on young plant grown, if possible. Because they have a low protein diet overall, their grown is slow. They may not mature until they are 20 or thirty years of age.
In some regions, green sea turtles mate very close to their nesting beach, in other regions, it may occur hundreds of miles apart. The hatchlings usually measure about two inches in length. Nesting will occur, typically from June through November.

Green turtles are true ocean migrates, Their incredible homing and nesting instincts are best illustrated by the fact that they feed off the coast of Brazil. Green sea turtles are truly amazing animals, and much should be done to see to it that they stay that way.

If there was beauty prize for turtles, the Hawksbill would be Miss Universe. Its beautiful shell has always been highly sought after for its lustrous tortoiseshell jewelry and other ornaments. The shell is so beautiful that it has been harvested by everyone from Egyptians to the Romans, ancient Chinese, Arabs, and American Indians. Thankfully though, plastic imitations of tortoiseshells have largely replaced the real thing.

The carapace of the Hawksbill is amber-colored with streaks of yellow or reddish and blackish brown. The black shields are translucent when removed from the shell. They also hold a high polish. The Hawksbill is of only modest size: its carapace is normally under three feet and the adults average 100 – 120 pounds. The largest Hawksbill ever recorded was a 280 pound animal taken at Grand Cayman.

The Hawksbill gained its name from its jaw, although the beak, while certainly beak like does not hook like that of a raptor. All sea turtles have horny beaks, but the hawksbills head is so narrow that it has a particularly bird-like aspect. The Hawksbills paddle shaped front flippers each have two claws.

The turtle will mature at about 80 pounds; and less in some parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Living throughout the Caribbean, Hawksbills are rarely found north of Florida and are scarce even in Florida. The best way to see the Hawksbill is during the day.

These turtles consume both sea grasses and small animals, but their favorite meal appears to be sponges. Because sponges are made from numerous small glasslike slivers its not quite clear how the hawksbill can gain much from, or even tolerate such a diet. But then again, the huge leatherback also eats solely watery jellyfish, a mystery too.

The nesting behavior of the Hawksbill is generally similar to that of the green turtle, and the two sometimes share nesting beaches. Yet, hawksbills have the ability to nest where green turtles and others can not. These turtles are able to climb over rocks and debris that would turn over other turtles. They move quite briskly on land , and “walk” rather than “lunge forward”.

Overall Hawksbill populations are extremely reduced, and the nests are uncommon. Scientist also know less about them then any other of the species that nest within the U.S.

Today there are more than 250 species of turtles in the world. Only seven of those species are sea turtles. There are differences among the turtle species as well as similarities. All species have special characteristics to help them in their natural environment. They all have streamlined bodies and large flippers. These features help them to dive and swim.

Unlike many other turtle species, the sea turtle cannot pull its head into its shell. This is due to the fact that sea turtles have limited space within their shells. The shells are flatter than other turtles to make them streamlined for water travel. Sea turtles also have larger swimming muscles inside their shells.

These are the seven sea turtles of the world

Loggerhead turtle

• Latin name: Caretta Caretta
• Heart shaped Shell
• Head is relatively large
• Strong, Heavy beak
• Front flippers have 2 visible claws
• Back flippers have 2-3
• Adults weigh about 250 – 350 pounds ( 114 – 159 Kg)

Green Turtle

• Latin name Chelonia mydas
• Head is relatively small
• Serrated beak
• Each flipper has 1 developed claw
• Adult weight: about 300 pounds

Hawksbill Turtle

• Latin name Eretmochelys imbricate
• Narrow head
• Hawklike beak
• Flippers usually have 2 claws
• Adult weight is about 100 – 250 pounds ( 45 – 114 kg)

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle

• Latin name Lepidocheklys Kempii
• Shell nearly round and flattened
• Large jaws
• Adult weight is about 85 to 100 pounds ( 39 – 45 kg)

Olive Ridley Turtle

• Latin name is Lepidochelys olivacea
• Shell is nearly round
• The adult weight is about 80 – 100 pounds ( 36 – 45 Kg)

Flatback Turtle

• Latin name Natator depressus
• Shell is nearly round and flattened
• Flippers have 1 obvious claw
• Adult weight is about 160 pounds ( 73 Kg)

Leatherback Turtle

• Latin name is Dermochelys coriacea
• Body is covered by leathery skin
• No scales on the adults
• Flippers have no visible claws
• Shell has ridges running the length of the turtle
• Adult weight is 440 – 2,000 pounds ( 200 – 900 Kg)

Sea Turtles Death by Light

We do not normally think of artificial lights as being a form of pollution. But the seaside lights of homes and businesses left on at night during nesting season can be deadly to sea turtles. Once hatchlings emerge from their nests, they must get to the ocean as quickly as possible to avoid predators.

They seem to find the sea by moving toward the light that is reflected off the water at night. This worked very well until people started using artificial lights on the beaches at night. Now when a hatchling scrambles toward a light on the beach, it may be heading for someone’s porch light, a campfire, or a highway. These hatchlings that travel away from the water after they emerge will almost always die.

Sea Turtles Death by Debris

The next time you throw away a plastic bag, toy, balloon, or Styrofoam cup, think about where it may end up. Plastic trash that finds its way to the sea is often mistaken for food by turtles. Plastic bags resemble jellyfish, one of many turtle’s favorite foods. Once eaten, the plastic clogs the turtle’s digestive system, preventing the passage of food. The turtle may starve to death as a result.

As time passes, the plastic stuck in the stomach can begin to break down, releasing toxic substances that harm the turtle. The next time you walk along a seaside boardwalk or a beach, count how many cigarette butts you see. Though they look small and harmless, they are not. When turtles eat them, they clog their digestive systems.

Unfortunately Our Oceans are in big trouble. Humans have a negative impact on our oceans, causing coral reefs to die, sea-grass beds to shrink, beaches to be developed, and populations of fish, sea mammals, and reptiles to diminish. As the worlds human population grows, more and more communities worldwide dump their sewage, chemical poisons, and other pollutants into the rivers that flow into the seas.

Even cities such as New York City, where technological advancements are commonplace, have not solved their pollution problems. New York, like many American cities, has combined sewer overflows (CSOs) that carry both rainwater and sewage to waste treatment plants. This system works really well in dry weather, but during big storms, the rush of storm water overwhelms the treatment plants ability to clean up the pollution. When this happens, thousands of tons of raw sewage flood into the rivers and bays and eventually into the ocean.

Some scientists think that the poisons we put into the oceans are seriously affecting sea creatures, weakening their immune systems and making them vulnerable to diseases that they could normally resist.

Some research is showing a relationship between badly polluted coastal waters and the fibropapilloma tumors that kill green sea turtles. Jakarta Bay in Indonesia is one of the most polluted bodies of water on earth, and turtles living there have a much higher rate of FP than turtles living in nearby clean waters. Some researchers believe that the pollution is also helping normally rare viruses become more numerous. The viruses release a poison that is absorbed into the sea grasses. The turtles then eat the toxic sea grass and later develop FP tumors.

Scientists also think that the more people degrade the oceans, the worse marine diseases will become and the more likely it will become and the more likely it will be for more species to go extinct. Since the 1980s, as ocean conditions have worsened, the seas have been swept by new and terrible diseased. Mysterious, widespread, and devastating epidemics have killed dolphins, whales, porpoises, seals, sea turtles, sea urchins, and many other marine species.

All kinds of pollution can kill turtles. Oil spills from refineries, tankers, and Jet Ski’s and other small crafts are a major risk. Balls of tar and oil are sometimes eaten by turtles, poising them. These petrochemicals damage the turtle’s lungs, skin, and blood. These pesticides, heavy metals, and deadly PCBs are compounds that are toxic to the environment and build up in the tissue of animals. PCBs have been found in turtle flesh and fat as well as in their eggs.

Unfortunately, the pollution problem is hard to solve because no one wants to take responsibility for causing it or cleaning it up.