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.