Behavior and Conservation Marine Turtles. Reproduction Mate in the water Appear to rely on visual...

Behavior and Conservation

Marine Turtles

Reproduction

Mate in the waterAppear to rely on visual cues for species and sex recognitionOviparous

Nesting Behavior

A few weeksafter mating:

Nesting Behavior

Egg pit

Arribada

Growth and Development

Shell protects embryos from desiccation

Growth and Development

Sex determined by temperature

3 Types A – most crocs and some lizards B – many turtles C – crocs, lizards and some turtles

Growth and Development

Marine Turtles

Male Female

Growth and Development

Caruncle

Migrations

Macrogeographic migrationsLoggerhead

http://www.seaturtle.org/sandbox/animalmap.html

Migrations

Green TurtleAscension Island

Migrations

Navigational Cues Earth’s magnetic field Water-borne Auditory Wind-borne

Conservation

Many are threatened and endangered:Loggerhead = ThreatenedGreen = FL and P. coast of Mexico Endangered; all others threatenedHawksbill = EndangeredKemp’s = EndangeredLeatherback = Endangered

Conservation

Management and Protection Beach habitat protection Lighting ordinances End plastic pollution

TED’s

Turtle Excluder Device