Sea turtles are among the most ancient animal families on our planet. Unlike regular turtles, sea turtles have flippers instead of legs, making them graceful swimmers.
- Endangered Species: Six of the seven existing sea turtle species are threatened with extinction. This highlights the need for conservation efforts.
- Long-Distance Migrants: Sea turtles, such as the leatherback, undertake vast migrations, traveling to both northern and southern extremes.
- Rare Land Visits: They spend most of their lives in the ocean, only adult sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs every two to five years.
- Size Variations: The largest, the green sea turtle, can have a shell length of up to 1.4 meters. Even smaller species boast shells around 60-65 centimeters.
- Diverse Diet: Initially carnivorous, sea turtles eat meat, shrimps, mollusks, and seaweeds. As they mature, some species turn vegetarian.
- Mythological Significance: In ancient Malaysian mythology, the sea turtle is revered as the creator of the world.
- Unique Among Its Kind: The leatherback sea turtle is the only species without a bony shell.
- Navigational Skills: During migration, sea turtles navigate vast distances by sensing the Earth’s magnetic field, much like birds.
- Dietary Shift with Age: For the first 3-5 years, young sea turtles mainly feed on plankton and small marine creatures, later transitioning to a vegetarian diet.
- Longevity: Sea turtles often live up to 70-80 years, with some even surpassing 100 years.
- Hearing Abilities: They have drum-like eardrums covered with skin, best suited for low-frequency sounds.
- Elusive Encounters: Most underwater encounters with sea turtles are brief. Divers find it hard to approach them, and it’s challenging to determine their sex until they reach maturity.
