Green Sea Turtle
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The Green Sea Turtle is named for the color of the fat under its shell, which is caused by the large amount of green algae in its diet. Although the adults are herbivorous, the young eat jelly fish and other marine invertebrates. The individual above was about 4 feet in length & must have weighed at least 500 lbs. They take an average of 25 years to mature. The females come to land only to lay eggs, and may have traveled hundreds, and even thousands of miles, from their feeding grounds in the south pacific, to lay its eggs on the same beach where they themselves were born. This creature is using its hind legs to dig a pit in the sand in which to deposit the eggs. (All of these pictures were taken with flash). [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].
A view of the basin in the sand which the Green Sea Turtle is excavating for depositing her eggs. [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].
Green Sea Turtle laying her eggs, which are a little smaller than a ping-pong ball. She may lay as many as 135. She will use her hind flippers to cover them with sand. The eggs will incubate for about 2 months, by which time the mother has returned to her feeding grounds, which may be hundreds or even thousands of miles away. The hatchlings instinctively strive to reach the water, but many become easy prey to the large predatory birds (i.e., Greater Frigate Birds) who will be waiting for them. [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].
Having covered up the eggs with sand, the Green Sea Turtle mother makes her way back to the water to return to the feeding grounds from whence she came. [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].
A close-up of the Green Sea Turtle returning to the water. When her laying is done, and covered with sand, the female returns to the sea, never to see her hatchlings. [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].
The Green Sea Turtle is on her way back to the feeding area from which she came. Although it may be a huge journey, she will still likely return to this very same area in about 2-4 years to lay more eggs. [Jupiter Island, Florida, USA].