TURTLE FACTOIDS!

Sea Turtles are marine reptiles that  have existed since their giant land turtle ancestors returned to the sea sometime during the age of the Dinosaurs. Currently, seven species are clearly recognized. Sea turtles are highly migratory and utilize the waters of more than one country in their life times. The sea turtles are shared resources among many nations

The Green Sea Turtle grows to a maximum size of about 4 feet and a weight of 440 pounds. It has a heart shaped shell, small head and single clawed flippers. Colour is variable.

The nesting season varies with locality and occurs nocturnally at 2,3, or 4 years intervals. Only occasionally do females produce clutches in successive years. A female may lay as many as nine clutches within a nesting season (overall average is about 3.3 nests per season) at about 13 days intervals. Clutch size varies from 75 to 200 eggs. The incubation period is from about 45 to 75 days, depending on the incubation temperature. Hatchings generally emerge at night. Age at sexual maturity is believed to be 20 to 50 years.

Green Sea turtles have a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical waters. There is an estimated population of approximately 550,000 Turtles worldwide.

Green Sea Turtles are generally found in fairly shallow waters (except when migrating), inside reefs, bays and inlets. The Turtles are attracted to lagoons and shoals with an abundance of marine grass and algae. Open beaches with a sloping platform and minimal disturbances are required for nesting. Green Sea Turtles apparently have a strong nesting site fidelity and often make long distance migrations between feeding grounds and nesting beaches.

Major Green Turtle nesting colonies in the Atlantic occur on Ascension Island, Aves Island, Costa Rica and Surinam. In the Western Pacific, the largest Green Turtle nesting aggregation in the world occurs on Raine Island and Australia, where thousands of female turtles nest nightly in an average nesting season. In the Indian Ocean, major nesting beaches occur in Oman, where 6000 to 20,000 females are reported to nest annually.