The earliest known sea turtle fossils are about 150 million years old. In groups too numerous to count, they once navigated throughout the world's oceans.

There are seven species of sea turtles found throughout the world, and five species are found in Florida. View tutorial at: /meet-seven-sea-turtle- species /meet-seven-sea-turtle- species GreenLeatherback Hawksbill Kemp’s Ridley Loggerhead Olive Ridley Flatback

Sea turtles are endangered marine turtles, and like terrestrial turtles, they are air- breathing reptiles. They have flat, streamlined bodies with large, powerful flippers used for swimming and steering.

Sea turtles are well-adapted to the their lives in the ocean. Their size varies greatly, depending upon species — from the small Kemp’s Ridley, which weighs between 80–100 pounds, to the enormous leatherback, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. View the Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle

Each species relies on a different diet: greens eat sea grasses; leatherbacks feed on jellyfish and soft-bodied animals; loggerheads eat heavy-shelled animals such as crabs and clams; hawksbills rely on sponges and other invertebrates; and the Kemp’s Ridley prefers crabs. ml ml (The videos show: swimming and eating moon jellies)

While they spend their entire lives in the open ocean, the adult females will return to shore to nest. She will crawl out of the water and up to the dunes, where she will dig an egg chamber in the sand with her hind flippers and deposit her eggs. Sea turtle eggs vary in size, ranging from a ping-pong ball to a billiard ball.

Sea turtles have many natural predators such as raccoons, foxes, crabs, fishes, birds, feral dogs, and sharks.

In just the past 100 years, demand for turtle meat, eggs, skin and colorful shells has dwindled their populations. Destruction of feeding and nesting habitats and pollution of the world's oceans are all taking a serious toll on remaining sea turtle populations. Many breeding populations have already become extinct, and entire species are being wiped out. There could be a time in the near future when sea turtles are just an oddity found only in aquariums and natural history museums — unless action is taken today.

HUMAN THREATS: From leatherbacks to loggerheads, six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered at the hand of humans. They face many dangers as they travel the seas — including accidental capture and entanglement in fishing gear and nets, poaching, and ocean pollution including plastic.

There are many other threats that sea turtles face throughout its lifetime. Some of these threats include habitat destruction, altering of nesting and foraging habitats, and boat propeller strikes.

People eat sea turtle meat and sea turtle eggs. Lights from nearby roads and businesses misdirect the hatchlings from the seas.

At the Turtle Hospital in Marathon Key you will observe turtles with problems caused by humans.

You will watch turtles with “bubble butt syndrome” trying to swim. Their shells are deformed as a result of accidents with boats. This makes it almost impossible for them to dive for food.

You will observe as newly rescued sea turtles that were brought to the Turtle Hospital. Some will be covered with tumors caused by sewage and fertilizer run-off! The vet needs to remove the tumors. The turtles are then rehabilitated in large open-air pools, and released back into the ocean.

HOW TO HELP SEA TURTLES: 1.Support sea turtle conservation 2.Learn about sea turtles 3.Don’t pollute – especially plastic 4.Don’t buy turtle products tion.php?page=shell_tradehttp:// tion.php?page=shell_trade (video)