Keaton Mohney-green Sea Turtle

By: Keaton Mohney

GREEN SEA TURTLE

by: Flickr user: Nemo’s great uncle

Kingdom:

Animalia

reaching a suitable nesting site, the gravid

Phylum:

Chordata

female then digs a hole with her hind flippers

Class:

Reptilia

and deposits a number of eggs in the nest. The

It is illegal to collect, harm, or kill any of

number of eggs laid per litter depends on the

these animals. many countries have

age of the female and differs from species to

implemented various laws and ordinances to

species, clutches range between 100 to 200

protect individual turtles and turtle nesting areas

eggs. After laying eggs, the female then covers

within their jurisdiction. However, the turtles'

the nest with sand and returns to the sea and

populations are still in danger because of

lets the turtles hatch. Green sea turtles are cold

several human practices. In some countries, the

blooded and the adults are two to four feet long.

turtles are still hunted for their flesh and their

They can weigh up to 100 to 400 pounds which

eggs are collected from nests and eaten as a

is almost the weight of an adult human being.

delicacy. Pollution indirectly harms the turtle

The green sea turtle's shell is actually its

populations both on the population and the

skeleton. The green sea turtle cannot pull its

individual scale. Many turtles die as a result of

head into its shell for protection from dangerous

being caught in fishermen's nets and drowning.

sea creatures. One of the turtles' favorite food

Last, habitat loss due to human development is

is sea grass and mangrove leaves. Some of the

a major reason for the loss of green turtle

younger turtles like to eat jellyfish, algae, shrimp,

nesting beaches. This animal is endangered

and crustaceans. They are most popularly found

because there is a very limited amount of them

in Hawaii. The Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia

in the world. Female turtles control mating;

mydas, is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle in

males cannot force females to mate. After

the world. They are called Green Sea Turtles

mating in the water, the females haul themselves

because of the color of their flesh.

onto the beach above the high tide line. Upon

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Endangered Species

Green Sea Turtles are considered a threatened species in the United States. The Green Sea Turtle is found in the waters of the Tropical North of Australia and the great Barrier Reef. It makes its nests on islands off the north Western Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria. They also nest on islands near the Barrier Reef. They are closely related to the Flatback Turtle. They have adapted their fins for easier swimming. They only have one main predator. It is the Tiger shark.

by: Flickr user: Nemo’s Great Uncle

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