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Sep 7, 2023 · Sea turtles, the flippered beauties of the world’s oceans, may come in a range of yellow to black colors. Specifically, they most commonly appear in olive green, yellow, green-brown, brown, reddish-brown, or black.
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Seven different species of sea (or marine) turtles grace our ocean waters, from the shallow seagrass beds of the Indian Ocean, to the colorful reefs of the Coral Triangle, and even the sandy beaches of the Eastern Pacific. WWFs work on sea turtles focuses on five of those species: green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley.
Human activities have tipped the scales against the survival of these ancient mariners. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as Endangered. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear. Climate change ha...
WWF is committed to stop the decline of sea turtles and work for the recovery of the species. We work to secure environments in which both turtlesand the people that depend upon themcan survive into the future.
- Sea Turtles Outlived the Dinosaurs. Sea turtles are often compared to dinosaurs due to their scaly, reptilian appearance. In fact, sea turtles were around at the same time as dinosaurs!
- You Can Tell Sea Turtles Apart by Their Shells and Scales. You can tell sea turtle species apart by the color, shape, and pattern of their shells (called scutes) and the pattern of the scales on their faces.
- Sand Temperature Determines the Sex of Sea Turtles. When a female turtle lays her eggs deep in the sand, the eggs are fertilized, but the sex of each embryo has yet to be decided.
- Only 1 in 1,000 Turtles Will Make it to Adulthood. Based on population calculations, on average, only 1 in every 1,000 sea turtle eggs will become an adult turtle.
- There are seven species of marine turtle. Marine turtles were around more than 100 million years ago - and lived alongside dinosaurs. These days, scientists recognise seven species of marine turtle
- Turtles don’t have teeth. They use their beak-like mouth to grasp their food. This beak is made of keratin (the same stuff your fingernails are made of).
- They’re well ‘ard. Turtle shells are made of over 50 bones fused together - so they're literally wearing their bones on the outside. They also have light, spongy bones that help them float.
- Their young lives are a mystery. The first few years of a marine turtle’s life are known as the ‘lost years’. That’s because the time between when the hatchlings emerge until they return to coastal shallow waters to forage is incredibly difficult to study.
Six of the seven species of sea turtles that swim the planet’s waters— leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, green, olive ridley, and hawksbill —are found in every ocean except the Arctic and...
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Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley.
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Jun 6, 2024 · Sea turtle, any of seven species of marine turtles belonging to the families Dermochelyidae (leatherback sea turtles) and Cheloniidae (green turtles, flatback sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles, hawksbills, and ridleys). Both families are highly aquatic, and most species only appear on coastal beaches for egg laying.
