by Linnea
March 21, 2023
There are seven species of sea turtles -six of which are found swimming in every ocean except for Arctic and Antarctica. The seventh species of sea turtle, the flatback, lives only in the waters around Australia.
Sea turtles grow 2 – 7 feet long in length and weigh 70 – 1500 pounds. Given that there are seven species of sea turtles, the leatherback is the largest sea turtle and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
sea turtles will mate at sea, and then on the beaches, they lay their eggs. After digging a hole in the sand to deposit their eggs, they cover the hole back up and return to the waters. Around 60 days later, the eggs hatch and tiny turtles make their way to the water – often at night-time in order to avoid any potential threats to the young turtles.
There are a number of factors which are leading to the endangerment of this gracious animal. It is important for us to highlight these reasons as we become more aware of the dangers and ways that we can help them.
Sea turtles are often attracted to the bait and then get caught and trapped in the hooks, or become entangled in the fishing nets.
In some countries, sea turtles are considered as a delicacy, meaning that locals who poach and sell them are able to earn an income.
Coastal development is threatening sea turtles’ chances of survival is that sea turtle hatchlings are guided to the ocean at night. But, beachfront lighting will cause hatchlings to become confused when they emerge from their eggs, leading them towards the road where they may not survive.
In one of the largest marine ecological systems in the world, you can find the Great Barrier Reef. Known to be the largest coral reef in the world, it is visible from space. There are an abundance of plants and animals that you could find swimming around in this area.