Green Sea Turtle Has Been Endangered By Numerous Natural And Human Created Reasons

One very interesting fact about Green Sea Turtles is that they have been around for so long that their ancestors were present when dinosaurs evolved and became extinct. This means that they have been in existence for about 150 million years. There was a time when millions of Green Sea Turtles could be found around the world. At present, there are less than 200,000 mature females in existence.
The Green Sea Turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle in the world. It ranges in length from 2 to 6 feet with males averaging a little larger than females. Adult females weigh on average 200 kg and males weigh just a little more. Their carapace can be olive green, brown, or black, depending on geographic location. Their plastron is yellow.

They are called Green Sea Turtles because of the color of their flesh. Their limbs, which are flattened and flipper-like, are used for swimming. Green Sea Turtle hatchlings weigh less than 30 grams and are 5 to 10 centimeters in length. They are black on top and white on the bottom.

Green Sea Turtles can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Basically, Green Sea Turtles can be found throughout the world’s oceans save for areas in which the temperature falls below 20 degrees Celsius. Green Sea Turtles are quite sensitive to both heat and cold and prefer the warmer parts of the seas. In the Atlantic, some Green Sea Turtles have been spotted as far north as Canada. The Caribbean is the most popular choice for nesting sites for Green Sea Turtles. Many nesting sites have also been identified in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Aves Island and Puerto Rico.

In the Pacific, some Green Sea Turtles have been spotted as far north as Alaska and as far south as Chile. Popular nesting grounds in the Pacific include areas in Southeast Asia, Mexico, Australia, the South Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands and even Madagascar.

In contrast to other sea turtles, Green Sea Turtles are the only sea turtles that are herbivorous creatures. This means that they do not consume meat in their diet. However, this distinction only applies when the juvenile Green Sea Turtle grows into an adult. A Green Sea Turtle is generally considered a juvenile when it is less than eight to 10 inches in length. It takes about three years before a Green Sea Turtle grows up to eight inches in length. During the time from when it is a hatchling up to the time it becomes more mature, the diet of the Green Sea Turtle slowly shifts from a more carnivorous one to a more herbivorous one.

Adult Green Sea Turtles often consume sea grasses, mangrove leaves and algae. Juvenile sea green turtles, on the other hand, commonly include invertebrates such as jellyfish, crayfish, squids, crabs, crustaceans, shrimp, worms, snails, cuttlefish and sponges in their diet. The jaws of Green Sea Turtles are fashioned in such a way that makes it easy for them to tear their food. The head of a Green Sea Turtle is also markedly smaller compared to other sea turtles. This could be because there is no need for the Green Sea Turtle to expand its jaw to eat bigger creatures, compared to other sea turtles. Ironically, despite having a smaller head, the Green Sea Turtle is nonetheless the largest among all sea turtles.

The Green Sea Turtle near some rocks The Green Sea Turtle prefers to feed in relatively shallow waters. It is not uncommon for a Green Sea Turtle to swim through thousands of kilometres to search for food. Given that algae and sea grasses are not very filling foods, the Green Sea Turtle consumes large amounts of both each day.

It is important to note the importance of the effect of the eating habits of Green Sea Turtles on our environment. Due to their regular consumption of algae and sea grasses, succession occurs in reefs and space is freed up for settlement of other organisms in the area. Their absence in the food cycle would cause great disruption to our world. Without the consumption of sea grass by Green Sea Turtles, sea grass beds would become less productive, grow tall and become choked by sediments, which in turn would obscure sunshine and promote disease. Sea grass consumed by Green Sea Turtles is also easily digested and converted into recycled nutrients which are helpful to other plants and animals.

One cause of death for Green Sea Turtles is wrongful or mistaken consumption of food. Given that they are herbivorous, Green Sea Turtles have often mistaken objects such as debris, balloons and other plastic material pieces as food. Many Green Sea Turtles have become ill or have died as a result of human recklessness and irresponsibility. Now that we are aware of the grave implications of our actions, what is important is that we take action and try to rectify the mistakes we have made, that we might save and prolong the life of this beautiful creature. We must take the measures necessary to turn things around and save these beautiful creatures that inhabited this earth long before we did.