Wildlife all about sea Turtles

Wildlife all about sea Turtles
Turtles are from the same family as the tortoise and terrapin. They are classified as reptiles. Reptiles are scaly, cold blooded creature. Their shell is considered to be a hard scale. This shell protects them from predators. Therefore, allowing them to live longer if they get there .Only 1 in a 1000 grow up to adulthood. Once large enough they live the longest of all reptiles. The sea turtle lives on average 80 years. Being cold blooded they adapt quickly to the surroundings around them. They get some help from nature though; they swim in cooler waters to cool off.

Feeding habits
Depending on what kind of turtle and the surroundings turtles eat water plants, small insects, worms and most lifeless marine animals. For growth they depend on a healthy Protein diet. The larger turtles can also feed on lifeless soft shell fish. An adult weights an average of 160kg.

you tube video on reproducton

Reproduction
Most turtles will only get a chance to mate after 12 years old depending on their size, except the Hawksbill turtle. The Hawksbill turtle will reproduce at the age of 3 years depending on their size. Some turtle will only have a chance after 40 years.
The males, like most other creatures, will try to entice the females, she has the final say. The competition is ferocious. They will pursue her until one is exhausted leaving and the other guy get lucky.
Sea turtles seldom leave the water .Female will leave the water more often as they deposit their eggs in nests in beach sand. An amazing think is that a female will swim large distances to deposit the eggs where she was born. The female will cover the eggs with the beach sand for more than one reason. It protects the eggs from predators. In addition by covering them they also protect the porous shell so that it stays moist .A dried out porous shell will not survive. By covering them they are also protected from the warmness of days and coldness of nights.

youtube video on depositing eggs

It takes a female at least an hour and then it’s back to the water. She will only return after 3 years to deposit new eggs .The mothers will probably never see her offspring.

youtude video on the babies returning to the water

It can take around 60 days for the eggs hatching and another week to dig out of the nest. The babies are left alone to find their way to the water. A very small number will make it; the rest will be left to the predators. Another most amazing thing about the turtles is, that scientist says, if the temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit the offspring will be female and if it is below 85 degrees they will me males.