Sea Turtle Facts — SEE Turtles Flatback Turtle Sea Turtle Facts From leatherbacks to loggerheads, six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered at the hand of humans. Sadly, the fact is that they face many dangers as they travel the seas — including accidental capture and entanglement in fishing gear (also known as bycatch), the loss of nesting and feeding sites to coastal development, poaching, and ocean pollution including plastic. These creatures are well-adapted to the ocean though they require air to survive. Their size varies greatly, depending upon species — from the small Kemp’s ridley, which weighs between 80–100 pounds, to the enormous leatherback, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. Habitat & Diet Sea turtles live in almost every ocean basin throughout the world, nesting on tropical and subtropical beaches. They migrate long distances to feed, often crossing entire oceans. Some loggerheads nest in Japan and migrate to Baja California Sur, Mexico to forage before returning home again. Leatherbacks are capable of withstanding the coldest water temperatures (often below 40˚F) and are found as far south as Chile and as far north as Alaska.

They spend their entire lives at sea, except when adult females come ashore to lay eggs several times per season every 2 to 5 years. After about sixty days, baby sea turtles (known as "hatchlings") emerge from their sandy nests and make their way to the ocean —attracted to the distant horizon. The juvenile turtles spend their first few years in the open oceans, eventually moving to protected bays, estuaries, and other nearshore waters as adults . Each species relies on a different diet: greens eat sea grasses; leatherbacks feed on jellyfish and soft-bodied animals; loggerheads eat heavy-shelled animals such as crabs and clams; hawksbills rely on sponges and other invertebrates; and the Kemp’s ridley prefers crabs. Learn more about their diets. Human Threats These ancient creatures have been on Earth for more than 100 million years — even surviving the dinosaurs when they became extinct 65 million years ago. Among the threats these marine reptiles face are entanglement, habitat loss, and consumption of their eggs and meat. Sea turtles often drown when caught in fishing gear, both nets and longlines.

Coastal development can destroy important nesting sites, impact coral reefs, and artificial light from houses and other buildings attracts hatchlings away from the ocean. Pollution like plastic bags are often mistaken for food such as jellyfish and ingested, which blocks their intestines and potentially kills them. In some countries, they are hunted for their meat and shells and their eggs are eaten. Learn more about threats to sea turtles. Hawksbill × loggerhead sea turtle hybrids at Bahia, Brazil: where do their offspring go? [PeerJ] DOI: 10.7717/peerj.255/fig-1 Tissue samples were macerated and kept at 37°C in a lysis buffer containing Proteinase K until complete digestion (from 8 to 24 h). DNA was extracted using Genomic DNA Extraction Kits (Norgen Biotek) or the phenol:chloroform method adapted from Hillis et al. (1996) .

mtDNA control region fragments of approximately 850 bp were amplified via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using primers LCM15382/H950 ( Abreu-Grobois et al., 2006 ), under the following conditions: denaturation of 5′ at 94°C; 36 cycles of 30′′ at 94°C, 30′′ at 50°C, 1′ at 72°C; final extension of 10′ at 72°C. Illustra GFX purification kits (GE Healthcare) were used for purification, and samples were sequenced in both directions through capillary electrophoresis using an Applied Biosystems® 3130 Genetic Analyzer. Sequences were aligned and cropped to 740 bp using Clustal X 2.0 ( Larkin et al., 2007 ), and classified according to GenBank® and the Atlantic Ocean hawksbill haplotype database (A Abreu-Gobrois, pers. comm., 2013).

Biophysical modeling was performed using the particle-tracking tool ICHTHYOP-3.2 ( ), see model description in Lett et al. (2008) for details. Surface velocity fields were extracted from the global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HyCOM) with 1/12° reanalysis outputs at daily intervals ( ). We chose the fourth-order Runge–Kutta numerical scheme in ICHTHYOP-3.2 to simulate Lagrangian advection of individual particles. The numerical time step was set to 180 s and particle trajectory position outputs were set to daily intervals. Particles were released every 5 days from the Bahia rookery (12–13°S, 37–38°W) proportionally to the monthly amount of hatched loggerheads, hawksbills, and hybrids. Particles were tracked for three years (between May 2009 and June 2013) to encompass the oceanic phase of these sea turtles, following Putman & He (2013) .

The monthly proportion of nesting loggerheads and “hawksbills” (including pure and hybrids) were obtained from Marcovaldi & Chaloupka (2007) and Marcovaldi, Vieitas & Godfrey (1999) . We then multiplied the monthly number of nesting animals identified as hawksbills ( Marcovaldi, Vieitas & Godfrey, 1999 ) by the monthly percentage of genetically-confirmed hybrid and pure hawksbills ( Lara-Ruiz et al., 2006 ; L. Soares, unpublished data). The hatching periods of loggerheads, hawksbills, and hybrids were calculated by adding 60 days (approximate incubation period; Godfrey et al., 1999 ; Marcovaldi, Godfrey & Mrosovsky, 1997 ) to their estimated nesting periods. Finally, the proportion of particles dispersing southwards and northwards was analyzed. Results Of the 157 individuals sampled along the coast, four were hawksbill × loggerhead hybrids. Most of these hybrids presented the morphology of pure hawksbill turtles ( Fig.

2 ) and were identified as such, but their mtDNA haplotype was characteristic of nesting loggerheads of the Bahia rookery (BR3). This haplotype was present in one of 23 samples from Ceará (northeast Brazil), and in three of 19 samples from Cassino in the far South ( Fig. 1 ). At Ceará, the hybrid was sampled after being incidentally caught in fisheries, and at Cassino all three hybrids were found dead on the beach. At Cassino one hybrid displayed carapace with overlapping scutes and serrated edges like hawksbills, but a short and thick neck typical of loggerheads ( Fig. 2A ). This mixed morphology brings additional evidence of this crossbreeding. Figure 2: Sampled hawksbill × loggerhead sea turtles at Cassino Beach, South Brazil. Note the relatively large head and thick neck of the individual in A. Photo credits: Nema archive (A, B) and Jonatas H. Prado (C). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.255/fig-2 Trajectories of simulated virtual particles are shown in Fig. 3 .

A large proportion of particles moved to the South when released during loggerhead hatching peak (72%; December–March), reaching temperate waters of the western South Atlantic via the Brazil current. Particles released during hybrid hatching peak (January–April) showed a higher southwards displacement (44%) when compared to the hawksbill peak (37%; February –May). Northwards dispersal was higher for particles released during hawksbill (63%), followed by hybrid (56%) and loggerhead (28%) peak hatching seasons. Figure 3: Virtual particles leaving the Bahia rookery during loggerhead (A), hybrid (B) and hawksbill (C) hatching seasons. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.255/fig-3 Discussion In this work we begin to answer a fundamental question that arises when facing the considerable portion of hybrids that nest in Brazil: where do their hatchlings go?

Although immature hybrids from the Bahia rookery remain highly undetected relative to the considerable number that is generated, reporting their occurrence at loggerhead feeding grounds (Cassino Beach and Ceará) and their absence at important hawksbill feeding grounds (e.g., Abrolhos, SPSP) is an important step towards better understanding this phenomenon (see Fig. 1 ). Our modeling approach also highlights the importance of sea turtle nesting season on shaping the spatial distribution of post-hatchlings, with differences observed between hawksbill, loggerhead and hybrid dispersal (see Fig. 3 ). While immature hybrids were observed at areas uncommon for hawksbills, they were absent at recognized high-occurrence feeding grounds such as Fernando de Noronha and Abrolhos (this study; Vilaça et al., 2013 ). Despite the relatively large sample (n = 65) from the tropical reefs of Abrolhos, located very close to the Bahia rookery (ca. 80 km), no hybrids were detected. This could indicate that while these hybrids are morphologically similar to hawksbills, they are not recruiting to the same feeding grounds of pure hawksbills.

Three hybrids were found at Cassino Beach, a temperate sandy coast that lacks the optimal characteristics for hawksbill survival (e.g., abundance of preferred food items, relatively high temperatures; Davenport, 1997 ) and possesses few records of this species ( Monteiro, Bugoni & Estima, 2006 ). Loggerheads on the other hand are commonly found foraging at this region, suggesting that immature hybrids could be adopting the feeding and migration ecology of loggerheads. Similarly, Witzell & Schmid (2003) reported the occurrence of an immature hawksbill × loggerhead hybrid that established its home range in a loggerhead feeding ground. Adult hawksbill × loggerhead hybrids from Bahia have also been shown to present a distinct ecology when compared to their pure hawksbill counterparts. Marcovaldi et al. (2012) tracked pure hawksbills and hawksbill × loggerhead hybrids after nesting in Bahia and showed different post-nesting migration patterns.

Most tracked animals moved along the continental shelf, with all pure hawksbills occupying feeding areas along the eastern coast (Bahia and Alagoas states) while most hybrid females travelled to the northern coast, including Ceará where we detected an immature hybrid. Ceará is an important feeding ground for loggerheads that nest along the coast of Bahia as demonstrated by satellite tracking ( Marcovaldi et al., 2010 ), indicating that the mature female hybrids adopt the behavior of loggerheads. This could also be a possibility for the immature hybrid we detected at the area. Our biophysical simulations showed that post-hatchling dispersal from Bahia varied according to species: southwards dispersal was proportionally larger throughout loggerhead, followed by hybrid, and lowest during hawksbill peak hatching season. The factors influencing how hybrid sea turtles adopt different feeding and migration behaviors are unknown.

Ocean currents influence the dispersal of sea turtle post-hatchlings and are believed to shape the posterior spatial distribution of juveniles and adults ( Luschi, Hays & Papi, 2003 ; Amorocho et al., 2012 ; Proietti et al., 2012 ; Putman et al., 2012 , 2014 ; Putman & He, 2013 ) The model presented here shows that hybrids could have a higher chance of reaching the temperate waters of South Brazil when compared to pure hawksbills. This indicates that these hybrids could already be adopting loggerhead features once they reach the water after hatching. Although pure hawksbills also produce southwards-dispersing hatchlings, they could be limited to lower latitudes by food availability and water temperature, while hybrids could present a behavioral pattern more similar to loggerheads and possibly occupy a wider niche. Another factor that also influences sea turtle dispersal is oriented swimming (e.g., Putman et al., 2012 , 2014 ).

For example, if hybrid post-hatchlings navigate mainly southwards while hawksbills swim northwards, the difference in their distribution along the Brazilian coast would be even more pronounced. Further at-sea investigation on hatchling (‘frenzy period’) and post-hatchling swimming behavior (e.g., Thums et al., 2013 ) is necessary for improving the incorporation of oriented swimming speed and direction in sea turtle post-hatchling dispersal models. The causes behind the extensive hybridization between hawksbills and loggerheads at the Bahia rookery are still unclear, but could be a result of anthropogenic population declines and uneven population sizes of different species ( Lara-Ruiz et al., 2006 ; Vilaça et al., 2012 ). It is unknown if this hybridization is threatening the fitness and survival of animals, and the phenomenon should be further investigated for defining whether special measures should be taken when managing these populations. International collaboration might be necessary for determining such management approaches since our particle model shows that ocean currents could transport hybrid turtles from Bahia to distant areas such as Uruguay, Argentina, West African coast, and Western Indian region.

Extensive genetic studies in areas of recognized and potential hybrid occurrence, such as loggerhead habitats, are of upmost importance. These studies should combine mtDNA with biparentally-inherited marker analyses for obtaining a better understanding of hawksbill × loggerhead hybrid distribution, parental species and generations. Studies on reproductive and survivorship parameters are also essential for verifying potential negative impacts of this process on long-term viability of local sea turtle populations. Satellite tracking, stable isotopes and diet analyses can also be used to confirm if their movements and feeding habits follow a distinctive pattern. Such studies would provide valuable insight on how the ecology and behavior of sea turtles are affected by hybridization, and consequently guide management practices and strategies to conserve their populations. Supplemental Information Hawksbill Turtle | Sea Turtles | Species | WWF Hawksbill Turtle e Habitats Oceans Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated-look on the edges. These colored and patterned shells make them highly-valuable and commonly sold as "tortoiseshell" in markets. Hawksbills are found mainly throughout the world's tropical oceans, predominantly in coral reefs.

They feed mainly on sponges by using their narrow pointed beaks to extract them from crevices on the reef, but also eat sea anemones and jellyfish. Sea turtles are the living representatives of a group of reptiles that has existed on Earth and travelled our seas for the last 100 million years. They are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems and help maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds. Continue Reading h More Stories h Why They Matter Hawksbills help maintain the health of coral reefs. As they remove prey such as sponges from the reef's surface, they provide better access for reef fish to feed. They also have cultural significance and tourism value. For example, for local residents in the Coral Triangle, the flow of visitors who come to admire turtles is a vital source of income.

Threats No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died EW Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population CR Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild EN Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild VU Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild NT Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future LC Least Concern Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened Hawksbill turtle hooked on a longline. Hawksbills are particularly susceptible to entanglement in gillnets and accidental capture on fishing hooks. Like other sea turtles, hawksbills are threatened by the loss of nesting and feeding habitats, excessive egg collection, fishery-related mortality, pollution, and coastal development. However, they are most threatened by wildlife trade. Fisheries Bycatch Hawksbills are particularly susceptible to entanglement in gillnets and accidental capture on fishing hooks. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, and therefore many drown once caught. Known as bycatch, this is a serious threat to hawksbill turtles. As fishing activity expands, this threat is more of a problem.

Illegal Wildlife Trade The shell trade for tourists is a serious threat to Madagascar's marine resources. Despite their current protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and many national laws, there is still a disturbingly large amount of illegal trade in hawksbill shells and products. They are much sought after throughout the tropics for their beautiful brown and yellow carapace plates that are manufactured into tortoiseshell items for jewelry and ornaments. In recent decades, eastern Asia has provided an eager market for tortoiseshell. What WWF Is Doing Addressing Wildlife Trade WWF works with communities to reduce turtle harvesting and local trade in the Coral Triangle. In Malaysia, we help raise awareness about the threats hawksbills face and communicate the importance of protecting them. Exploitation of turtles is often driven by a lack of economic choices so WWF works to develop alternative livelihoods so that local people are no longer dependent on turtle products for income. WWF also works to stop the illegal trade of hawksbill products around the world through TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. We also train and equip local rangers to protect turtles from poaching and patrol nesting beaches.

Contact Sea Turtle profiles Sea turtles are large air-breathing reptiles remarkably adapted to life in the sea. They live in all but the coldest of the world's oceans, but nest only on tropical and subtropical beaches where it is warm enough to incubate their eggs. All sea turtles are protected by federal and state laws. Sea turtles have a low streamlined shell and powerful, oversized front limbs; adaptations that enable them to swim for great distances. They have no teeth but use their jaws to crush and tear food. The smallest sea turtle, the Kemp's Ridley, weighs about 75 to 100 pounds when mature, while adults of the largest species, the leatherback, can weigh almost 2,000 pounds and may be eight feet in length. Sea turtles spend most of their day feeding or sleeping under reef ledges or in the open ocean. Some travel hundreds or thousands of miles to feed or nest. Females lay their eggs on sandy beaches and are slow and awkward on land. A female will usually lay several nests during one season and may nest every two to three years. The difficult process of nesting takes up to three hours.

A turtle must drag her great weight ashore, dig a nest with her back flippers, deposit about one hundred eggs, and cover and conceal the nest before returning to sea. The eggs incubate in the warm sand and the female never visits her nest again. After incubating for about two months, the two-inch long turtles hatch, erupt as a group from their nest in the cool of the night, and scurry down the beach to the sea. Many hatchlings swim offshore to live for several years in floating seaweed drifting along the edges of ocean currents. Eventually the young turtles take up residence in coastal waters. Many years pass before the few hatchlings that survive reach maturity. A sea turtle may live for 40 to 60 years or more. Sea turtles once roamed the oceans by the millions, but over the past few centuries the demand for sea turtle meat, eggs, shell, leather and oil has greatly reduced their numbers. Populations continue to decline as habitat is lost and the trade in sea turtle products continues. Every year, thousands of sea turtles drown in shrimp trawls and other fishing gear and others die from pollutants or from swallowing trash mistaken for food.

Many hatchling sea turtles are disoriented by bright lights near beaches and wander away from the ocean to be crushed by cars or stranded. Concern for the plight of sea turtles is growing and people around the world are working to protect them on nesting beaches and at sea. CLASSIFICATION OF FLORIDA SEA TURTLES Hawksbill Sea Turtles The endangered hawksbill, a relatively small turtle, has been hunted to the brink of extinction for its beautiful shell. Once fairly common in Florida, these turtles now nest here only rarely. Hawksbills feed on sponges and other invertebrates and tend to nest on small isolated beaches. Sea Turtle Diet — SEE Turtles Sea Turtle Migration What Do Sea Turtles Eat? What a sea turtle eats depends upon the species. Some are omnivores, eating a variety of plants and animals, while the hawksbill and the leatherback are specialists, subsisting primarily of sponges (hawksbills) and jellyfish (leatherbacks). Hawksbills for example, are mainly found on and around coral reefs where their main prey sponges are found.

Greens forage among seagrass beds and nearshore habitats, and leatherbacks, which are deep divers, are found in pelagic (open ocean) environments where they feed exclusively on jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates that float in the water column. Mouths & Jaws Sea turtle mouths and jaws are also shaped differently depending on their particular diet. Greens sea turtles have a beak with finely serrated edges, like the teeth of a saw, which enable them to tear seagrasses and scrape algae off of hard surfaces. Loggerheads have strong, massive jaws which enable them to crush hard-shelled prey like conchs and whelks. Leatherbacks have sharp, pointed cusps on their jaws which enable them to pierce and hold onto jellyfish. They also have sharp, downward curving spines called papillae in their mouth and throat which help move prey to their stomach. The diet of hatchlings varies from that of adults.

Hatchlings eat a variety of prey items including things like pelagic molluscs & crustaceans (like larval crabs), hydrozoans (related to jellies and corals such as Portuguese Man-O-War), fish eggs, seaweed, and jellies. Green hatchlings, unlike the herbivore adult, also eat a variety of prey as young turtles. WHAT ADULT SEA TURTLES EAT Green : Adults are referred to as herbivores although as hatchlings they are omnivores. Their diet consists primarily of algae, seagrasses, and seaweed. Greens have a finely serrated (sawlike) beak that allows them to scrape algae off rocks and tear grasses and seaweeds. Leatherback : Sometimes referred to as gelatinivores (eating gelatinous prey) because their diet consists exclusively of jellies and other soft-bodied invertebrates like tunicates and sea squirts. They have 2 sharply pointed cusps, one on the upper and one on the lower jaw that allows them to pierce jellies and other soft-bodied organisms.

Loggerhead : Adults are carnivores, eating crabs, conchs, whelks, and horseshoe crabs. Hatchlings are omnivores, eating both plant and animal material. Loggerheads have a massive head and strong jaws which enable them to crush hard-shelled prey. Hawksbill : Often referred to as spongivores because of their specialized diet which consists almost exclusively of sponges. The hawksbill has a sharp, narrow "bird-like" beak that allows them to reach within crevices on the reef. Olive ridley : An omnivore, these turtles eat a variety of animals and plants including crabs, shrimp, lobster, urchins, jellies, algae, and fish. Kemp's ridley : A carnivore that eats crabs, fish, jellies, shrimp, and a variety of molluscs. It's preferred prey though is crab. Flatback : An omnivore that consumes sea cucumbers, jellies, soft corals, shrimp, crabs, molluscs, fish, and seaweed. Did You Know? Herbivores like the green sea turtle are important for maintaining the health of coral reefs.

Without them eating algae, corals can be overgrown and die from the algae which out-competes them. Because leatherbacks primarily eat jellyfish, they are attracted to plastic bags which resemble jellies when floating in the water. Eating them often leads to death. Learn more on our page on ocean plastic. The seagrass Thalassia testudinum is commonly known as "turtle grass" because in some areas like the Caribbean, green sea turtles eat it almost exclusively. Sponges contain spicules (glass-like spines) and toxins which the hawksbills immune to, making less competition for this food source. They are also particular about the types of sponges they eat which gives rare sponges an opportunity to grow creating greater diversity on the reef. Some sea turtles undertake impressive migrations to find food. The leatherback has been tracked crossing the entire Pacific Ocean from Asia to the US West coast to forage on swarms of jellyfish off the coasts. Learn more about sea turtle migration. What is SEE Turtles?

Loggerhead Sea Turtle - National Wildlife Federation Loggerhead Sea Turtle Genus: Caretta Species: caretta Loggerheads were named for their relatively large heads, which support powerful jaws and enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conch. The most common sea turtle in U. S. coastal waters. the loggerhead sea turtle was listed as threatened throughout its range on July 28, 1978, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and has received Federal protection since that time. Description: The adult loggerhead has a slightly heart-shaped, reddish-brown carapace (top shell of a turtle) consisting of five or more pleural scutes and a yellow plastron (bottom shell of a turtle). Adult males are distinguished by long tails that extend beyond the rear carapace in addition to a narrowing of the carapace that tapers towards the rear. Hatchlings have light to dark gray/brown shells. Their flippers are dark brown with white edges and their belly is a faded yellow. Diet: Loggerheads are carnivores, subsisting on crustaceans, fish, and other marine animals.

The hatchlings feed on small animals living in the sea grass-like algal mats called sargassum, where they spend their early developmental years. Juveniles and adults eat mostly bottom dwelling invertebrates such as whelks, other mollusks, horseshoe crabs, and sea urchins. Their powerful jaws are designed to crush their prey. Size: Loggerheads in the southeastern U.S. weigh an average of 250 lbs (113 kg) and are generally about 36 inches (92 cm) long. Habitat: Loggerheads can be found hundreds of miles out to sea or in inshore waters — bays, lagoons, salt marshes, creeks, ship channels, and the mouths of large rivers. Coral reefs, rocky places, and ship wrecks draw large amounts of marine life and are great feeding areas. Loggerheads nest on ocean beaches and occasionally on estuarine (where a river meets the sea) shorelines with suitable sand. Nests are typically made between the high tide line and the dune front. Most loggerhead hatchlings originating from U.S.

beaches are believed to lead a pelagic (open sea) existence in the North Atlantic for an extended period of time, perhaps as long as 10 to 12 years, and are best known from the eastern Atlantic near the Azores and Madeira. As mentioned previously, post-hatchlings take cover in floating mats of sargassum, but once they reach a certain size, these juvenile loggerheads begin "recruiting" to coastal areas in the western Atlantic where they become "benthic" feeders in lagoons, estuaries, bays, river mouths, and shallow coastal waters. These juveniles occupy coastal feeding grounds for a decade or more before maturing and making their first reproductive migration. Typical Lifespan: Scientists believe that loggerheads are long lived and could live to 50 years or more. Range: The loggerhead sea turtle is a wide-ranging species, occuring throughout the temperate sub-tropical and tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In the Atlantic, the loggerhead turtle's range extends from Newfoundland to as far south as Argentina. In the eastern Pacific, loggerheads have been reported as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Chile.

In the U.S., occasional sightings are reported from the coasts of Washington and Oregon, but most records are of juveniles off the coast of California. The west coast of Mexico, including the Baja Peninsula, provides critically important developmental habitats for juvenile loggerheads. The only known nesting areas for loggerheads in the North Pacific are found in southern Japan. Adult loggerheads are known to make extensive migrations between foraging areas and nesting beaches. During non-nesting years, adult females from U.S. beaches are distributed in waters off the eastern U.S. and throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Yucatán. Life History and Reproduction: Female loggerheads reach maturity at about 35 years of age. Every 2-3 years, they mate in coastal waters and then return to nest on the very same beach where they were hatched, called the "natal" beach. The nesting season begins in April and ends in September, with the peak in June. They emerge onto the beach at night every 14 days, laying an average of 4 clutches containing roughly 100 – 120 eggs in each. Sex of hatchlings is determined by incubation temperature.

Warmer temperatures result in the great majority being females and cooler temperatures produce mainly or only males. The majority of loggerhead nesting occurs in the western rims of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, primarily in Oman, the United States, and Australia. The greatest nesting concentrations in the U.S. occur on beaches from North Carolina through southwest Florida, and minimal nesting extends westward to Texas and northward to southern Virginia. Of the loggerhead nesting activity within the southeastern U.S., about 80% occurs in six Florida counties (Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, and Broward Counties). In Brevard and Indian River Counties, a 20 mile section of coastline from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach comprises the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), which is the most important loggerhead nesting area in the western hemisphere. Nesting densities of 1,000 nests per mile (625 nests per km) are recorded for beaches within the ACNWR. Threats: Loggerhead turtles have long been hunted for their eggs and for leather.

Other threats include: Loss or degradation of nesting habitat from coastal development and beach armoring Disorientation of hatchlings by beachfront lighting Excessive nest predation by native and non-native predators Degradation of foraging habitat Marine pollution (including oil spills) and debris Watercraft strikes Disease Incidental take from channel dredging and commercial trawling, longline, and gill net fisheries. Directed harvest – The migratory nature of loggerheads severely compromises conservation efforts once they move outside U.S. waters, however, since legal and illegal fisheries activities in some countries are causing high mortality on loggerhead sea turtle nesting populations of the western north Atlantic region. Conservation Efforts: Loggerhead sea turtles are protected by various international treaties and agreements as well as national laws such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). In 2008 NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) updated the recovery plan for the loggerhead turtle. Bycatch of loggerhead turtles (accidental capture by commercial and sport fishermen) is being reduced by fishing gear modifications (i.e.

use of TED’s or turtle exclusion devises), changes to fishing practices and closures of certain areas to fishing during nesting and hatching seasons. Many coastal counties and communities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina have developed lighting ordinances to reduce hatchling disorientations. Important U.S. nesting beaches have been and continue to be acquired for long-term protection. Regular monitoring of loggerhead turtle populations by NMFS and USFWS, and further research on the biology, life cycle, and migration patterns is needed to help develop effective conservation methods. Sources: Sea Turtle | Species | WWF Sea Turtle Adopt a Sea Turtleh Overview For more than 100 million years sea turtles have covered vast distances across the world's oceans, filling a vital role in the balance of marine habitats. VU Status e Habitats Open water and coasts Seven different species of sea (or marine) turtles grace our ocean waters, from the shallow seagrass beds of the Indian Ocean, to the colorful reefs of the Coral Triangle, and even the sandy beaches of the Eastern Pacific. WWF’s work on sea turtles focuses on five of those species: green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley.

Human activities have tipped the scales against the survival of these ancient mariners. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as Endangered. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear. Climate change has an impact on turtle nesting sites. It alters sand temperatures, which then affects the sex of hatchlings. WWF is committed to stop the decline of sea turtles and work for the recovery of the species. We work to secure environments in which both turtles—and the people that depend upon them—can survive into the future. Sea turtles and shrimp cocktail: what’s the connection? Sea turtles are some of the most majestic, long-living animals in the ocean, yet hundreds of thousands of them are accidentally caught and die in shrimp nets and other fishing gear each year. Endangered loggerheads, green turtles, and leatherbacks are especially vulnerable. Why They Matter Fundamental Link in Marine Ecosystems Sea turtles are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems. They help maintain the health of sea grass beds and coral reefs that benefit commercially valuable species such as shrimp, lobster and tuna.

Sea turtles are the live representatives of a group of reptiles that have existed on Earth and traveled our seas for the last 100 million years. Turtles have major cultural significance and tourism value. No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died EW Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population CR Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild EN Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild VU Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild NT Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future LC Least Concern Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened Sea turtles journey between land and sea and swim thousands of ocean miles during their long lifetimes, exposing them to countless threats. They wait decades until they can reproduce, returning to the same beaches where they were born to lay their eggs, few of which will yield hatchlings that survive their first year of life. Beyond these significant natural challenges, sea turtles face multiple threats caused by humans. Bycatch Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are accidentally caught in shrimp trawl nets, on longline hooks and in fishing gillnets every year. They become fisheries bycatch--unintended catch of non-target species.

Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe and therefore many drown once caught. Incidental capture by fishing gear is the greatest threat to most sea turtles, especially endangered loggerheads, greens and leatherbacks. This threat is increasing as fishing activity expands. Overharvesting and Illegal trade Sea turtles continue to be harvested unsustainably both for human consumption and trade of their parts. Turtle meat and eggs are a source of food and income for many people around the world. Some also kill turtles for medicine and religious ceremonies. Tens of thousands of sea turtles are lost this way every year, devastating populations of already endangered greens and hawksbills. Killing of turtles for both domestic and international markets continues as well. While international trade in all sea turtle species and their parts is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), illegal trafficking persists. Habitat loss Sea turtles are dependent on beaches for nesting. Uncontrolled coastal development, vehicle traffic on beaches and other human activities have directly destroyed or disturbed sea turtle nesting beaches around the world.

Turtle feeding grounds such as coral reefs and sea grass beds are damaged and destroyed by activities onshore, including sedimentation from clearing of land and nutrient run-off from agriculture. Climate Change All stages of a sea turtle’s life are affected by environmental conditions such as temperature—even the sex of offspring. Unusually warm temperatures caused by climate change are disrupting the normal ratios, resulting in fewer male hatchlings. Warmer sea surface temperatures can also lead to the loss of important foraging grounds for sea turtles, while increasingly severe storms and sea level rise can destroy critical nesting beaches and damage nests. What WWF Is Doing WWF works around the world to eliminate sea turtle bycatch from fisheries, reduce the unsustainable harvest and illegal trade in marine turtles, and stem the loss of critical sea turtle habitats. Eliminating Bycatch WWF aims to reduce turtle bycatch by working with fisheries to switch to more turtle-friendly fishing hooks (“circle” hooks). We advocate for the use of special turtle excluder devices in nets. WWF runs an international competition, known as Smart Gear, to attract creative new ways to solve bycatch problems and to advance the best of those ideas.

Winning devices have been designed to minimize the bycatch of turtles on tuna longlines and help turtles avoid gillnets. We track turtle movements using satellites to help prevent future interactions between fisheries and turtles and work with fishermen to help them save turtles caught in fishing gear. Addressing Overharvesting and Illegal Trade WWF works with local communities to reduce turtle harvesting and egg collection. Because exploitation of turtles is often driven by a lack of economic choices, we help develop alternative livelihoods so that local people are no longer dependent on turtle products for income. WWF also supports programs that promote the value of sea turtles. WWF works through TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, to stop the illegal trade of turtle meat and eggs. We also train and equip local rangers to patrol turtle nesting beaches and protect against poaching. WWF has been supporting a campaign led by TRAFFIC to combat illegal trade from the Coral Triangle and reduce demand in China. Activities include better training for law enforcement officials in both areas and a public awareness campaign in China, targeting areas where turtle trade is the highest. Radio broadcasts and advocacy events spread the message among local fishermen, souvenir shop owners and tourists about the problem of turtle trade.

In the western Solomon Islands, WWF supports local rangers on the beaches throughout turtle nesting and hatching seasons to protect against egg harvesting and hunting. The rangers collect important data and inform their communities about laws to protect turtles. Protecting Marine Turtle Habitat WWF works around the world to establish marine protected areas, ensuring sea turtles have a safe place to nest, feed and migrate freely. We encourage governments to strengthen legislation on, and provide funding for, sea turtle protection. WWF supports local turtle conservationists in many parts of the world to monitor and patrol turtle nests. These efforts often lead to ecotourism opportunities and offer alternative livelihoods. Minimizing Climate Change Impacts WWF studies how sea turtles are being affected by climate change and helps determine the best ways to reduce their vulnerability to changing environmental conditions. We work around the world with communities to monitor and protect nesting beaches, helping turtles be more resilient to the future impacts of climate change. In the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean we work to raise awareness of the threat of sea level rise on nest sites and the importance of shade for nests.

Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Sea Turtle Pictures, Hawksbill Sea Turtle Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They avoid deep waters, preferring coastlines where sponges are abundant and sandy nesting sites are within reach. Not particularly large compared with other sea turtles, hawksbills grow up to about 45 inches (114 centimeters) in shell length and 150 pounds (68 kilograms) in weight. While young, their carapace, or upper shell, is heart-shaped, and as they mature it elongates. Their strikingly colored carapace is serrated and has overlapping scutes, or thick bony plates. Their tapered heads end in a sharp point resembling a bird’s beak, hence their name. A further distinctive feature is a pair of claws adorning each flipper. Male hawksbills have longer claws, thicker tails, and somewhat brighter coloring than females. They are normally found near reefs rich in the sponges they like to feed on.

Hawksbills are omnivorous and will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Their hard shells protect them from many predators, but they still fall prey to large fish, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses, and humans. Like other sea turtles, hawksbills make incredible migrations in order to move from feeding sites to nesting grounds, normally on tropical beaches. Mating occurs every two to three years and normally takes place in shallow waters close to the shore. The nesting procedure begins when the turtles leave the sea to choose an area to lay their eggs. A pit is dug in the sand, filled with eggs, and then covered. At this stage the turtles retreat to the sea, leaving the eggs, which will hatch in about 60 days. The most dangerous time of their lives comes when hatchlings make the journey from their nests to the sea. Crabs and flocks of gulls voraciously prey on the young turtles during this short scamper. Like many sea turtles, hawksbills are a critically endangered species due mostly to human impact.

Hawksbill eggs are still eaten around the world despite the turtle’s international protected status, and they are often killed for their flesh and their stunning shells. These graceful sea turtles are also threatened by accidental capture in fishing nets.

Sea Turtle Facts – Loggerhead Marinelife Center Weighs 700-1500 pounds and measures 4 to 8 feet in length Nests in Florida from March through July Loggerhead World Conservation Union (IUCN) status – Endangered Most common sea turtle in Florida Named for its large head Feeds on crabs, mollusks, encrusting animals attached to reefs and rocks Weighs 200 to 350 pounds and measures about 3 feet in length Nests in Florida from April through September Green World Conservation Union (IUCN) status – Endangered Named for greenish color of body fat Feeds on seagrass and seaweed Adult females weigh 300 pounds and are 3-4 feet in length Nests in Florida from May through September Hawksbill World Conservation Union (IUCN) status – Critically Endangered Has a beautiful shell, which is used for jewelry causing this turtle to be listed internationally as critically endangered Feeds on sponges Occasional nests are found in Palm Beach County each year Kemp’s Ridley World Conservation Union (IUCN) status – Critically Endangered Smallest of the sea turtles Nesting is mainly restricted to a 20

-mile stretch of beach in western Gulf of Mexico Nesting often occurs in large aggregations during the daylight Feeds on blue crabs, clams, mussels, fish and jellyfish Adult weighs 85-100 pounds and measures 24-30 inches in length How do sea turtle patients arrive at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center for rehabilitation?

LMC is one of 12 sea turtle rehabilitation facilities in the State. Patients are transported to the LMC under the direction of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. How many turtles do you rehabilitate a year? On average 50-60 juvenile through adult sea turtles and over 1,000 hatchlings are cared for at LMC each year. Unfortunately, not all patients can be successfully rehabilitated. What are sea turtles’ biggest predators? The eggs of sea turtles can be a meal for foxes, raccoons, crabs, and other small carnivores. Many human cultures throughout the tropics of the world also consume sea turtle eggs as a source of protein and/or for cultural ceremony (now illegal in the U.S.). As hatchlings, their predators include birds, small land animals, insects, and fish. As adults, their biggest predators are humans. Humans commercially harvest sea turtles for their meat, flippers and shells. Many sea turtles die from commercial fishing techniques, and ever-developing coastlines disrupt reproductive processes. How many hatchlings reach adulthood? It is not known.

However, many years of research have lead experts to predict that approximately 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 eggs produce hatchlings that reach adulthood. How old do sea turtles get? It is not known. However, it is widely believed that they can reach at least 80 –100 years old. When is official sea turtle nesting season? March 1st through October 31st in Palm Beach County. How long can sea turtles hold their breath? It varies widely. The rate at which sea turtles utilize the oxygen they take with them underwater determines how frequently they must surface for air. Research has shown that dive durations of 15 to 30 minutes are common. What types of sea turtles nest on Juno and Jupiter Beach? Leatherbacks, loggerheads and greens. However, one may see Kemps Ridley and Hawksbill turtles swimming off our coast, but they rarely nest on our local beaches. Are turtle nests protected on the beach? They are protected by State and Federal law. However, only a fraction of the total number of nests on our beach are marked in any fashion. The vast majority are left to incubate naturally, without further protection.

Do beach goers harm turtle nests? No, sea turtles bury their nests deep enough to be unaffected by routine beach activity. How many eggs are there per nest? There are approximately 100 eggs per nest, with an average 60 day incubation period. What happens to the sea turtle eggs if they are exposed? If the eggs are not hatched, rotation and exposure to the elements often cause the eggs to stop developing. Beach erosion commonly exposes turtle nests, which is an unfortunate but natural process. Why do we have to turn lights off along the beach for the turtles? Adult females avoid lighted beaches for nesting, and emerging hatchlings often become disoriented by beachfront lighting as they try to reach the ocean. What beaches do you patrol for sea turtle nests? The LMC’s Research Staff patrol 9.5 miles of beach between John D. MacArthur State Park and the Palm Beach/Martin County line. Why can’t we touch the turtles that reside at the Center? For several reasons: the turtles are here because they are ill or injured, human contact can be an unnecessary source of stress; there may be unwanted bacterial exchange between humans and turtles; and… they bite!

Question: What kind of creatures are loggerheads and hawksbills?
Answer: Turtles