안녕하세요, family and friends. Today is all about the most popular species of sea turtles. The Green Sea Turtle.

Firstly, I just want to to welcome you all to the very first post for this new segment: Turtle of the Month. I have made an introduction for it on my 23 May 2020 | World Turtle Day post. You can click the link if you haven’t read that already.

Secondly, I want to put out a disclaimer:

I am not an expert on turtles or zoology. I have put together this information from different respected organisations and sources, see 'REFERENCES' below. This is essentially a compilation of all the facts and interesting information I've found online . 

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There are overall seven different species of Sea Turtles the exact number of months left for 2020. For this first month, I would like for us to get to know the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas)

What do they look like?

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Compared to other sea turtles

Habitat

• They prefer warmer waters and they are sensitive to both cold and heat
• So, they live in mostly subtropical, tropical oceans and mainland beaches or near coastline
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Indian Ocean
• Male green sea turtles spend their whole lives at sea
• Females come out of the water to lay their eggs which is why they are also found in coastlines or around islands

Nesting

Size and Weight

• Eggs are usually as large as a ping-pong ball and weighs 40-50g
• Hatchlings are around 30-40mm and weighs and 25-30g
• An adult’s carapace (hard shell) is usually 3-4.5ft or 83-114cm length and weighs around 240-420 pounds 110-190kg!

These adult Green Sea Turtles are twice as heavy as I am!!! 

What do they eat?

Fun facts:

• They played a role in helping EU explorers with their venture to the New World – providing a food source and navigations at night
• Some female greens who are nesting have been observed to make faux nests next to their real nest – to deceive predators
• Greens can travel 3,000 miles at the speed of up to 15miles/hour
• They have the most widely dispersed nesting sites compared to other sea turtles.
• Green turtles are called black turtles in Eastern Pacific because they have a darker colouration. They’re also usually smaller, laying fewer eggs.

Threats:

• Residential and commercial development
  • They are losing their habitats from coastal developments
  • Illegal harvest of their meat and eggs for human consumption
  • Parts (usually their carapace) is used for leather
• Unintentional effects
  • Getting caught in fishermen’s nets

What can we do to help?

• For those like me, who are far from any turtle conservation centres or turtle nesting sites – here’s what we can do:

Use reusable water bottles and bags – because all waste end up in the ocean and sea turtles can’t tell the difference.

For those who are able to help directly – Visit this link fisheries.noaa

REFERENCES:
-seaturtlestatus.org
-Burkemuseum.org
-conserveturtle.org
-flickr - wayne greeny4 (featured photo)
-IUCN-REDLIST
-Fisheries.noaa.gov

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What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

If you like reading devotionals, I upload every day except on Sundays. On Wednesdays, I upload Life Lessons posts. Lastly, every 23rd of the month a new Turtle of the Month is live.

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Want to read more?

• 1 Samuel 13September 7, 2020
• Judges 7August 31, 2020
• Proverbs 3August 26, 2020
• Proverbs 1August 24, 2020
• Psalm 148August 23, 2020