Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation

Sea Turtles in Mythology

• Turtles have long been revered in myths.

• Most Indian tribes see turtles as being sacred.

• The are seen as being supernatural because of their powers for survival.

• The Greeks saw turtles as standing for wisdom.

More Sea Turtle Myths

• In a Chinese myth, a turtle was believed to have developed the world within its shell.

• Some Indians believe that the world in which we live was formed on the back of a turtle.

Sea Turtles are still important in human culture today.

Sea Turtle Identification

1. Ke m p 's Rid le y 2. Ha wksb ill 3 . Lo g g e rhe a d 4. G re e n 5. Le a the rb a c k

Green TurtleGreen Turtle

• Most common species of sea turtle.

• It’s called the green turtle because of the green color of the fat under shell, they are not actually green.

Green turtle

• It is one of the largest species of sea turtles: 3ft long, up to 300 lbs.

• Green turtles can be recognized because they have one pair of scales in front of their eyes, instead of 2, like most sea turtles

Black turtle

• Black turtle is named for the black/gray color of its shell.

• It is primarily located in the Eastern Pacific, and is protected in the Galapagos and some areas of Mexico.

Flatback Turtle

• They are named Flatback because of their flattened shell.

• Flatback Sea turtles are only found in Australia.

Loggerhead Turtle

• Loggerheads can grow up to 350 lbs, between 31-42 ins.

• They can be identified by their large head, reddish brown carapace (top), and dull brown plastron (bottom).

Hawksbill Turtle

• The beautiful shell of Hawksbill turtles is often used for jewelry

Olive Ridley

• This is one of the smallest sea turtles, weighing only 100lbs. It is also one of the most numerous species of sea turtle.

• It is named Olive Ridley because of the olive coloring.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

• Kemp’s Ridley is the most endangered species, as well as the smallest: only grows to 24-28 ins and 77-100lbs.

• They are olive green in color.

• They only nest on one beach in the world, in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico.

Leatherback

• Can dive the deepest and travel the furthest of any other turtle.

• They have tough leathery skin covering their back.

Leatherbacks • Largest sea turtle, up

to 7 ft long, 1200lbs.• Instead of a solid shell

they have bones in their skin that form 5 ridges.

Navigation

Navigation• Navigation is finding

the way from one location to another.

• What are some ways that people can navigate?

Navigation• 1. Compass• 2. Stars• 3. Position of Moon and

Sun• 4. Maps• 5. Landmarks• What are some ways that

sea turtles may navigate in the water and on land?

Navigation• Sight• Position of the moon• Wave direction• Internal compass

(turtles that we know use this: loggerhead and leatherback)

Navigation• So how do you think

baby turtles navigate from the nest to the ocean?

Navigation• 1. Move away from

silhouettes at the top of the beach

• 2. Orient themselves toward the brightest light (moon on water in low populated beaches)

• They can sense the direction of waves when in the water

• Some use a magnetic compass.

Navigation• What are some reasons

a turtle might have to navigate in the ocean?

• How far do you think turtles may migrate?

Navigation• They migrate to find:• food• mates• and beaches to nest on

Navigation• Some turtles migrate

over 2600 km but most will only travel 1000 km.

Reproduction

Reproduction• Turtles lay eggs in nests

on the beach, usually at night.

• They can lay up to several hundred in one nest.

• Many turtles can create several nests over a few weeks, during the reproductive season.

Reproduction• After laying all their

eggs, the female turtles return to the ocean.

• After sixty days the baby turtles will emerge and travel to the ocean, and must defend themselves.

ConservationConservation• 1. What is making the

sea turtles endangered?

• 2. How can we protect turtles and their habitats?

• 3. Problems being faced with enforcing laws.

• 4. What can we do?

1. What is making the sea turtle endangered?

• Coastal development• A. Destroying nesting

beaches.• B. Increasing pollution

in bays.• C. Distracting

hatchlings with light. • D. Beach vehicle

activity.

1. What is making the sea turtle endangered?

• Net & Shrimp trawls• A. Entanglement and

drowning.• B. Used in trade for

shell and meat.• C. Destroying feeding

grounds.

1. What is making the sea turtle endangered?

• Industrial development

• A. Sand walls preventing nesting

• B. Oil spills• C. Damage to coral

reefs and sea grass beds.

1. What is making the sea turtle endangered?

• Natural Mortality• A. Predation as

hatchlings• B. Predation as

juveniles and adults• C. Old age

2. How can we protect the turtles and their habitat?

• Protect nesting grounds

• A. Reserves and wildlife refuge

• B. Relocate eggs to hatcheries.

• C. Patrol the beaches from poachers

• D. Prevent coastal development and activity.

2. How can we protect the turtles and their habitat?

• Education• A. Get locals involved• B. Decrease

international trade of products

• C. Scientific research• D. Tell others

2. How can we protect the turtles and their habitat?

• Improvements• A. Improve fishing

trawls (TED)• B. Protect with turtle

farms• C. Decrease pollution

and trash• D. Get involved

3. Problems being faced with enforcing laws

• Not all countries have the money or manpower to control poaching on beaches.

• Violations of poaching may only face a simple fine, or may be disregarded.

3. Problems being faced with enforcing laws

• Jurisdiction varies between governmental agencies:

• water = fishery depart.• land = wildlife and

forest depart.

3. Problems being faced with enforcing laws

• Turtle farms for trade and reinstatement cost millions of dollars and take 20 to start.

• “to some people . . . trade and conservation appear to conflict, but if properly applied, they could well be the key to surviving the species”

• --H. Reichart

3. Problems being faced with enforcing laws

• Local people are not educated enough in rural countries and need turtle meat as a source of protein.

• Not all nesting beaches can be protected.

4. What can we do as students?

• We can do our part in conservation by simple acts:

• 1. Picking up trash on the beach.

• 2. Cutting soda 6-pack rings, and recycle

• 3. Don’t buy marine animal products and souvenirs

• 4. Be careful what food we eat.

4. What can we do as students?

• We can go further by:

• 1. Volunteer in helping scientists do research.

• 2. Adopt a turtle.

• 3. Become members of animal conservation societies.

• 4. Write to your Congressman.

Interesting Facts:Archelon is the oldest known fossil at 150MYA.

Found in 1970’s in S.Dakota.

Archelon:Measured 15ft long (from beak to tail) and 16.5ft wide

(including flippers and shell), weighing @4,500lbs.

Archelon:Primarily ate giant squid.

Photo Credits

• www.cccturtle.org: #1,7,11,16,17,19,24,29,37,42• www.co.broward.fl.us/bri00600.htm: #5• www.yoto98.noaa.gov/books/seaturtles/seatur1.htm: #6• www.ex.ac.uk/telematics/EuroTurtle/homep.htm:

#8,10,12,14,18,20• www.baja-tortugas.org/conservation.html:

#13,26,32,36,38• www.bonairenet.com/turtle/turtle.htm: #10,15,21,49• www.seaworld.org/Sea_Turtle/seaturtle.html: #23,41,47• www.nps.gov/pais/turtles.htm: #25

Photo Credits cont.

www.turtle.ky: #43, 46Webhost.bridgeW.edu/EsandG/blkbeach.htm: #45www.itec.edu.org/conservation.html: #8, 22, 48J. Ripple. 1996. Sea Turtles. Voyageur Press:

#33, 35, 39, 40, 44Jeff Seminoff: #9John R. Hendrickson: #4,27,28, 30, 34Hometown.aol.com/gonyosoma/folklore.html: #2www.bonairenet.com/turtle/turtle.htm: #9, 10www.bhigr.com/pages/info/info-rept.htm: #50,51,52