Sea Turtle Migration By: Evan Banbury

Why do sea turtles migrate? All sea turtle species migrate to some area. Loggerhead turtles have the longest migration route of all sea turtles. Sea turtles are cold blooded, so they migrate to warmer water in the winter. Female sea turtles migrate to a nesting site. The females have a natural instinct to be able to return to the beach where she was born to lay her eggs. Sea turtles also migrate to feed.

Sea turtle birth and migration When baby sea turtles hatch, they make a short journey to the shoreline. Next, they swim into the waves, following the direction by which the waves pull them. Eventually, they move hundreds or thousands of kilometers out into the open sea to better feeding grounds.

Loggerhead turtle migration The loggerhead sea turtle has a very long migration route. This species travels 8,000 miles from Florida beaches to the open ocean. They return every 5-10 years to breed. Loggerhead turtles live all over the world, so they migrate to different areas, however the females still use geomagnetic signs to help them return to the beaches they were born on, just like other sea turtle species.

Migration path This map shows the migration of loggerhead turtles from the various places they were born to the open sea. They travel path similar to a circle.

Sea Turtle Facts Sea turtles live in almost every ocean throughout the world, nesting on beaches. Some loggerheads migrate from Japan to California to nest. Green sea turtles feed on sea greens. Loggerheads feed on jellyfish and soft organisms. Other turtles diets vary depending on their species. A leatherback turtle in 2008 was found to have made the longest known vertebrate migration of over 12,000 miles. Male sea turtles spend their entire lives at sea; the females are the only ones who return to their native beaches. Females lay their eggs in holes in the sand a few yards from the shore.

Green Sea Turtle Migration Some green sea turtles live in shallow waters off the coast of Brazil. They migrate over 2,000 miles to Ascension Island where they lay their eggs. It takes 50 days for them to reach the island, and about 30 days to return back to the coast. Like all sea turtles, the greens live in water and only enter land when laying eggs. The turtles lay their eggs on Ascension Island because the small island has no natural predators to the baby turtles. On the way back, the green sea turtles swim with the current, but scientists are not sure how they know how to get to Ascension Island. It has been noted that a blind green sea turtle can still successfully make the migration journey. The green sea turtles may also migrate because of food, but it is primarily for nesting.

More migration facts about the two species Green sea turtle populations migrate primarily along the coasts from nesting to feeding grounds. However, some populations will travel across the Atlantic Ocean from Ascension Island, where they lay their eggs to the Brazilian coast feeding area where they live. Loggerheads leave feeding grounds on bigger expeditions to nesting grounds.

The End Last page facts: http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/seaturtle /sthabit.html (I changed some words)