Water Magazine No. 18 Green Sea Turtle

The shell of a turtle is characterized by an oval shape, while its length can reach almost 2 meters, although there are mostly individuals with a shell length of no more than 1 meter. Attention should be paid to the structure of the shell, which consists of flaps that fit snugly together. The head of the reptile is partially covered with the same shields. The eyes are relatively large, almond-shaped, with round pupils.There is a small claw at the end of each flipper. On average, adults weigh within a hundred kilograms, but this is not the limit, as there are individuals weighing up to 200 kilograms. It should be noted that the record weight of the green turtle was registered, which amounted to almost half a ton.

lifestyle

Sea turtles prefer to lead a secluded lifestyle, so it is almost impossible to meet turtles in a group. Scientists still cannot figure out how turtles navigate the vastness of the world's oceans. They are able to gather in a certain place on the same day to reproduce their own kind.After being born, turtles for decades, having traveled tens of thousands of kilometers across the expanses of the World Ocean, unmistakably find the place where they were born. Sea turtles are non–aggressive and trusting marine life that try to stick to the coastal zone, where the depth is no more than 10 meters. Being at rest or in a state of sleep, turtles do not appear on the surface of the water for several hours. With the help of their forelimbs-flippers, turtles can reach speeds of up to 10 km / h, which is not bad for such marine life. As they grow older, turtles begin to move from the depths closer to the coastal zone. Living in a natural environment, green turtles can live up to 80 years, but turtles live much less in captivity.

The female lays up to a hundred eggs, after which the hole is filled with sand and leveled. In this way, she masks her masonry. In one season, the female lays 50-100 eggs 7 times. The incubation process lasts for 2 months and several days, after which small turtles begin to emerge from the eggs, breaking through the shell. Most of the nests are ruined, so only a few manage to be born.As soon as the little turtles manage to free themselves from the shell, they rush through the sand to get into the aquatic environment, so as not to turn out to be lunch for some predators. In fact, not many of them are lucky and some of them don't even make it to the surf line. Even those kids who managed to get into the water will not be lucky for many, as they will find many surprises here, from which it is difficult to hide. At first, small turtles have to hide in the depths of the sea, carefully disguising themselves. The diet of young turtles does not consist only of plant foods. They also feed on jellyfish, mollusks, crustaceans and plankton. As you get older, your diet also changes, as plant-based foods begin to predominate. During the 7-10 years of the turtles' life, the process of solidification of the shell takes place. A hard shell is at least some kind of a guarantee that there are not so many hunters for turtle meat.

The area

The comfortable living conditions of the green turtle are associated with a depth of no more than 10 meters, with a sufficient amount of algae for food, as well as with a rocky bottom. At such a depth, the water warms up well, which attracts green turtles, regardless of the geographical location of these places. Marine green turtles prefer to live in the waters of the tropics and subtropics, as well as in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Among the rocks, turtles hide from natural enemies, rest, and caves serve as a home for turtles for many years.

Population and status of the species

Many travelers have put a lot of effort into exploring the New World and the Caribbean Sea, while they massively exterminated these marine life, going on trips to discover new lands. Turtles were destroyed in large numbers, replenishing food supplies. Their dried and dried meat was loaded onto ships. Soup was made from this meat. Soup made from these turtles even nowadays belongs to delicatessen dishes. That is why green turtles are on the verge of extinction in our time.While in the reserve, tourists are forbidden to approach the turtles closer than 100 meters. Eggs laid by turtles are placed in incubators, after which the newly born babies are released into safe waters, and when they get stronger. Since turtles are listed in the Red Book, turtle hunting and egg extraction are prohibited in their nesting sites. In addition, it is forbidden to conduct any kind of business, including business activities. The program has yielded its results and experts are confident that the number of green turtles has grown so much that it inspires hope that green turtles will not disappear from the face of the earth in the near future.