npr: thebeakerblog: This shelled reptile can’t retract its head or its extremities into its bo
npr: thebeakerblog: This shelled reptile can’t retract its head or its extremities into its body like some of its more landed counterparts, but the critter’s sleek lines and tapered body shape allow it to glide through the water with ease. Certain types of this animal can get really big (up to 1,500 pounds, or 680 kilograms), but when you consider the vastness of their habitat, that large size makes a bit more sense. Today, enjoy some facts about sea turtles (super family Chelonioidea). Scientists can trace sea turtle origins back about 150 million years. Today, there are several species of the sea turtle including: the green turtle, hawksbill turtle, Kemp’s ridley turtle, leatherback turtle, loggerhead turtle, olive ridley turtle, and the flatback sea turtle. As air-breathing reptiles, sea turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean, but brave females will return to beaches on land to lay their eggs. According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, turtles will dig out their nesting spots with their four flippers, burrow a space for their body – and their soon-to-drop eggs – and deposit what’s called a “clutch” of eggs before burying it and heading back to sea. The sex of sea turtles is dependenat on temperature. Warmer temperatures make female hatchlings, and cooler temperatures males. After hatching, baby sea turtles will break free of the sand (usually at night) and rush to the beach. The moon can help them spot the water and orient themselves. Not surprisingly, bigger hatchlings are able to move quicker, which means they’re less likely to fall victim to predators. Sea turtles don’t have teeth – their jaws are serrated. They eat lots of stuff: everything from jellyfish to sea grasses. (Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons / Source: NOAA Fisheries: Sea Turtles, Sea Turtle Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: North Florida Ecological Services Office) So much sea turtle cuteness! -Emily -- source link