SEA TURTLESSEA TURTLES

Between 5,000 Between 5,000 and 10,000 and 10,000 sea turtles sea turtles enter the enter the

Chesapeake Chesapeake Bay each Bay each spring or spring or summer.summer.

SEA TURTLESSEA TURTLES

Most of these are Most of these are loggerheads or loggerheads or Kemp’s ridley Kemp’s ridley

sea turtles that sea turtles that are using the are using the

bay as a bay as a feeding ground.feeding ground.

SEA TURTLESSEA TURTLES

The green and the The green and the leatherback sea leatherback sea turtles are also turtles are also

found in Virginia found in Virginia waters and even waters and even

one stranded one stranded hawksbill has hawksbill has

been reported.been reported.

SEA TURTLESSEA TURTLES

Scientists usually Scientists usually recognize seven recognize seven different species different species

of sea turtles.of sea turtles.Today, we’ll just Today, we’ll just

look at the five look at the five found in our found in our

area.area.

LoggerheadLoggerhead

Most of the sea Most of the sea turtles we see turtles we see in Virginia’s in Virginia’s waters are waters are

loggerheads.loggerheads.

LoggerheadLoggerhead

Female Female loggerheads even loggerheads even nest in Virginia in nest in Virginia in

the less the less populated populated

beaches like beaches like those of Virginia’s those of Virginia’s

Eastern Shore.Eastern Shore.

LoggerheadLoggerhead

Adult Adult loggerheads loggerheads can grow to can grow to over 100cm over 100cm

and weigh over and weigh over 300 pounds.300 pounds.

LoggerheadLoggerhead

Loggerheads Loggerheads feed on feed on

jellyfish, crabs, jellyfish, crabs, mollusks, mollusks,

sponges, and sponges, and aquatic plants.aquatic plants.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

Kemp’s ridleys Kemp’s ridleys are the most are the most

endangered of endangered of all sea turtles.all sea turtles.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

Adult ridley’s are Adult ridley’s are 80-120 pounds 80-120 pounds and up to 75 and up to 75 cm in length.cm in length.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

Their main Their main nesting site is nesting site is

in Mexico in Mexico where the where the

females lay females lay about 100 about 100

eggs.eggs.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

They live their first They live their first years offshore years offshore where they eat where they eat small animals small animals

and plants they and plants they find in mats of find in mats of floating algae.floating algae.

Kemp’s RidleyKemp’s Ridley

As adults, they As adults, they move into move into

shallow coastal shallow coastal areas where areas where

crabs become crabs become their preferred their preferred

food.food.

LeatherbackLeatherback

The leatherback The leatherback is the largest is the largest

turtle and turtle and largest living largest living reptile in the reptile in the

world!world!

LeatherbackLeatherback

Adults can be 2 Adults can be 2 meters long and meters long and

weigh almost weigh almost 900kg (2000 900kg (2000

pounds).pounds).

LeatherbackLeatherback

It is the only sea It is the only sea turtle that lacks turtle that lacks

a hard, bony a hard, bony shell or shell or

carapacecarapace..

LeatherbackLeatherback

The leatherback The leatherback has a 4cm thick, has a 4cm thick,

leathery, oil leathery, oil saturated saturated

connective connective tissue tissue

overlaying loose overlaying loose dermal bones.dermal bones.

LeatherbackLeatherback

Female Female leatherbacks lay leatherbacks lay about 100 eggs about 100 eggs

on sandy on sandy tropical tropical

beaches. beaches.

LeatherbackLeatherback

Adult leatherbacks Adult leatherbacks feed on jellyfish feed on jellyfish and other soft and other soft

bodied organisms bodied organisms in the open in the open

ocean.ocean.

GreenGreen

Green sea turtles Green sea turtles are actually are actually

farmed in the farmed in the tropics.tropics.

GreenGreen

Green sea turtles Green sea turtles are easily are easily

distinguished distinguished from other sea from other sea turtles by the turtles by the single pair of single pair of

scales in front of scales in front of the eyes. Others the eyes. Others have two pairs.have two pairs.

GreenGreen

Male green sea Male green sea turtles can be turtles can be distinguished distinguished

from the females from the females by their large tail. by their large tail. This is lacking in This is lacking in

the females.the females.

GreenGreen

Adult green Adult green turtles weigh turtles weigh 400+ pounds 400+ pounds

with the record with the record turtle at 871 turtle at 871

pounds. pounds.

GreenGreen

Green sea turtles Green sea turtles

are the only sea are the only sea turtles that are turtles that are strictly plant strictly plant

eaters as eaters as adults.adults.

HawksbillHawksbill

Hawksbill Hawksbill turtles are turtles are

more common more common in the tropical in the tropical

sea where sea where sponges are sponges are

the main part the main part of their diet.of their diet.

HawksbillHawksbill

This species has This species has extra pressure extra pressure from humans from humans

because of the because of the “tortoiseshell” “tortoiseshell”

jewelry jewelry industry.industry.

HawksbillHawksbill

The hawksbill is The hawksbill is a medium-a medium-small turtle small turtle with adults with adults

weighing 60-weighing 60-190 pounds.190 pounds.

HawksbillHawksbill

This turtle can This turtle can be be

distinguished distinguished from the others from the others by the hooked by the hooked beak formed beak formed

by the by the yellowish jaws.yellowish jaws.