These creatures are modified for life in the ocean by having flipperlike forelimbs without toes and lightweight shells. There are eight different species of sea turtles, all of which are classified as endangered. The early sea turtles were alive with the dinosaurs, although present day sea turtles originated within the last 60-10 million years.
Sea turtles are one of the most attractive, yet vulnerable, of all marine vertebrates.
These animals are constantly being exploited by man for their eggs, meat, and shell. They spend most of their life in the water, coming to land only to lay eggs. Life for this creature begins more than 2 feet below the warm beach sand as an entire clutch of more than 100 eggs begin to hatch. This hatching begins after 2 months of incubation. After they hatch, the sea turtles race to the water.