There are seven species of sea turtles, which includes the Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, green, flatback, hawksbill, Olive ridley and the loggerhead. As a reptile, these animals are part of the Testudines suborder.
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Hawksbill
Hawksbill sea turtles are known to eat a variety of foods, including sea sponges, squid, shrimp, and crustaceans. They also eat corals and marine algae.
While the population of hawksbill sea turtles is decreasing, the species is still a critically endangered one. In addition to the loss of habitat, they are affected by the illegal trade of their tortoise shells.
The hawksbill sea turtle’s range extends from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico to Hawaii and Indonesia. Their distribution is primarily in warm tropical waters. However, they are also found in subtropical regions.
As the name suggests, hawksbill sea turtles have oar-like flippers. These turtles are small to medium in size. During their lifespan, they are estimated to live for about 50 years.
Hawksbill sea turtles occupy a variety of habitats, depending on their stage in life. For instance, juveniles forage in mangrove bays and coral reefs. Adults reside mostly in rocky areas.
Leatherback
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest reptile in the world. Typically, it’s found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They are fast divers and have the ability to swim at over 22 miles per hour.
Leatherbacks also have sharp beaks and specialized jaws. They are able to pierce soft-bodied organisms and eat up to 3,000 jellyfish per day.
Their diets vary but include fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. However, their main source of food is jellyfish. Jellyfish are translucent jellies that are not strong swimmers. As such, they are often grouped together and manipulated by ocean currents.
The shell of a leatherback sea turtle is made of a rubbery substance. It’s almost circular when seen from above. In addition, its front flippers are half the length of its back. This gives the turtle the ability to dive to depths of 4,200 feet.
Loggerhead
Sea turtles are cold-blooded vertebrates that inhabit all five of the world’s oceans. They are members of the order Testudines, which is composed of seven species. Most species are herbivorous, but some are carnivores. In their adult lives, sea turtles consume a wide variety of marine invertebrates. Their diet can range from seaweed to hard-shelled animals.
Green sea turtles are omnivorous, and their primary food source is algae. However, they are also known to feed on seaweed, salt-water cordgrass, and sea lettuce. The animals use their saw-like beaks to scrape algae off of rocks and hard surfaces.
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are omnivores when they are young, but their diet changes as they age. Initially, they eat crustaceans, molluscs, and fish, but later, they begin to feed on jellyfish and other marine invertebrates.
Olive ridley
Olive ridley sea turtles are one of the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world. Their population has been devastated by human activity. They are threatened by trawling, coastal development, pollution, marine debris, and by being preyed upon by sharks.
The olive ridley is an omnivorous sea turtle that eats crabs, shrimp, tunicates, and other crustaceans. It can also eat algae.
Olive ridleys are found in tropical and subtropical waters. These animals travel thousands of miles a year to feed on their food. They can also forage deep in the ocean to find food.
Olive ridleys nest in “arribadas” (groups) on beaches. This behavior allows them to lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs at a time. Generally, a female turtle will lay her eggs on the same beach where she hatched.
Flatback
Flatback sea turtles eat a wide range of food. They consume mollusks, fish, crustaceans, shrimp and seaweed. Mostly found in Australia, these animals are also known to migrate to Indonesia. However, these sea turtles are still endangered by fishing activities and are vulnerable to disease and predators.
These marine creatures are a part of the Cetacea infraorder, which comprises more than 40 species. As they grow older, most turtles shift to a plant-eating lifestyle.
These flatback sea turtles are usually found in the tropical regions of Papua New Guinea and Australia. Their habitat is limited to coastal areas, which are mainly covered by seagrass beds. A flatback’s carapace is oval or round. It has a cream or yellow colour on the underside.
The flatback sea turtles lay two or three clutches of eggs. The females scatter sand around their nest to hide it. Females commonly return from the shallow waters to the nesting beach.
