Turtles are one of the most studied creatures on the planet. These beings can live for more than a century and there are some species of turtles that are older even than snakes! Sea turtles have gotten even more popular since the release of Disney's “Finding Nemo.” The sea turtle is one of the most popular species of turtle.
There are currently seven different living sea turtle species. These species are the olive ridley, the loggerhead, the leatherback, the hawksbill, Kemp's Ridley, green and flatback. These sea turtles live in all of the oceans on the planet except for the Arctic. While, historically, the green sea turtle has been classified as a separate species from the black turtle, scientists have discovered that the two different species are not actually different at all. Most of these species of sea turtles are in the Cheloniidae family except for the leatherback which is part of the Dermochelyidae family.
Sea turtles are one of the oldest creatures on earth. These creatures have been on the planet since the Mesozoic era and in the millions of years that have passed since then, their bodies have remain mostly the same: dorsoventrally flat bodies, two hind legs and two front arms that are like paddles or flippers and are considered to be highly evolved. The different species can be differentiated by different aspects of the anatomy (the leatherback, for example, is the only species of sea turtle that does not have a hard shell).
One of the most interesting things about the sea turtle is its highly toned navigational skill. Sea turtles use the Earth's magnetic field to get around and are always able to tell exactly where they are and what time of year it is. Sea turtles can travel between oceans and it is a known fact that most of the sea turtles species nest in the same location they were born. The Kemp's Ridley species of sea turtle all come ashore on the same beach and during the day within the same time period.
Sea turtles take about thirty years to mature enough to mate and nesting happens between every two and four years. Often the sea turtles will make between four and seven nests each nesting season. A female can lay between one hundred and fifty to two hundred eggs, depending on which species of turtle she is. She can do this in as little as thirty minutes (though sometimes it can take a little more than an hour). Among these eggs are fertilized and unfertilized eggs. The eggs take two months to incubate. When the eggs hatch, the babies dig their way out of their nest and find their way to the ocean.
Sea turtles have very sharp senses, but all of the species are considered endangered or threatened. In spite of this, the sea turtle is still hunted, even though most countries have made it illegal to hunt the creatures. There are also conservation attempts underway.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #1
Turtles are members of the Reptile family and they are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. They have been around for more than two hundred million years. This makes them as old as the dinosaurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of turtles all over the planet.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #2
Sea turtles are the most popular of all of the turtles. These are also some of the largest creatures—some sea turtles can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds. Scientists think that sea turtles are actually land creatures that went back into the water and never came out. Over time their limbs evolved to make them stronger swimmers and to keep them in the water: their front appendages are actually flippers.
Pet Turtle Care Tip #3
All turtles, even sea turtles, are air breathing creatures. While some turtles can stay under the water for hours at a time, they all must surface at least once a day to stay alive. There is one turtle, the giant turtle that only has to surface once a day to take in air. There are some studies being done to see if some species of turtle might be able to draw oxygen from their cells much like some fish use their gills to breathe.
