Turtles have a hard shell that protects them like a shield, this upper shell is called a ‘carapace’.
Turtles also have a lower shell called a ‘plastron’.
Many turtle species (not all) can hide their heads inside their shells when attacked by predators.
Turtles have existed for around 215 million years.
Like other reptiles, turtles are cold blooded.
The largest turtle is the leatherback sea turtle, it can weigh over 900 kg! (2000 lb) .Turtles lay eggs
In some species of turtle the temperature determines if the egg will develop into a male or female, lower temperatures lead to a male while higher temperatures lead to a female
Some turtles lay eggs in the sand and leave them to hatch on their own. The young turtles make their way to the top of the sand and scramble to the water while trying to avoid predators.
Sea turtles have special glands which help remove salt from the water they drink.
Many turtle species are endangered.
5 STATUSES ABOUT TURTLES!
SCIENTIFIC NAME:Pantheratigris
ENDANGERED STATUS:Threatening, endangered or critically endangered
WEIGHT: Varies between species. Heaviest: Leatherback turtle 272-680kg.
LENGTH: Varies between species. Longest: Leatherback turtle 139-160 cm.
HABITATS Turtles are very adaptive and can be found on every continent, except Antarctica.
3 WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT TURTLES!
Sea turtle hatchlings use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water at night. Artificial lighting confuses the hatchlings and causes them to head inland instead of out to sea – putting them in dangerous situations which can lead to death. Turn Out Lights Visible From the Beach! Artificial lights discourage adult females from nesting on the beach. Short of turning off your lights, you can also take measures to shield, redirect and lower the intensity of the lights on your property.
Reduce the amount of garbage you produce and clean up trash you see on the beach. Sea turtles can become tangled in plastic and trash both on the shore and in the water. Discarded items such as fishing lines, balloons and plastic bags may also be confused for food and eaten by sea turtles, often resulting in injury or death.
Volunteer! There are countless ways in which you can make a positive difference in the lives of sea turtles. Organize a clean-up day with your friends and clear the beach of litter, give a presen-tation to your neighborhood or local school on things they can do to save sea turtles, and most importantly, talk to others about what they can do to make sure they are not putting these im-portant creatures in danger.
PAWW