Nestbuilding
TRUE OR FALSE:
Female sea turtles lay their eggs in the sea.
FALSE!
Female sea turtles lay their eggs on land.
What do we call a young animal that has just come out of its egg?
A hatchling
Can sea turtles breathe under water?
No. They breathe air and hold their breath under water.
How many kinds of sea turtles are there in the world?
7
What do sea turtles sometimes get stuck in?
Fishing nets
How do female sea turtles know where to go to lay their eggs?
Scientists aren't sure, but probably by instinct.
When do baby sea turtles go toward the sea, and why?
They usually go at night, so that predators cannot see them.
Turtles are one of the few _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ that live in the sea.
How long do sea turtles live?
Scientists believe they live at least 80 years, but they aren't sure.
What do sea turtles sometimes swallow, thinking they are jellyfish?
Plastic Bags
What do mother sea turtles do after laying their eggs? Do they take care of their babies?
No. They leave their eggs in the sand, and they return to the sea.
How big are baby sea turtles when they hatch?
Less than 3 inches long.
What do we call the scales on a sea turte's shell?
Scutes
When do sea turtles pull their head and limbs into their shells?
WARNING: Trick question!
Never! They cannot pull their heads and limbs into their shells like land turtles can.
Name 3 things YOU can do to help protect sea turtles.
- Pick up trash on the beach.
- Don't release balloons into the air.
- Avoid turtle nesting areas.
- Turn off lights that could be seen from the beach.
- Tell your classmates what you've learned about sea turtles.
Where exactly do most female sea turtles usually lay their eggs?
A female sea turtle usually lays her eggs on the same beach where she hatched when she was a baby.
How do baby turtles know where to go after hatching?
They follow the brightest light they can see. The brightest natural light on a beach is where the sky meets the sea.
Name 3 foods that most sea turtles often eat.
algae, sea grasses, crab, conchs, and jellyfish.
What is the name of the type of sea turtle that does not have a hard shell?
Leatherback
Why are building lights dangerous for baby sea turtles?
Because babies follow the brightest light to get to the sea, building lights can confuse them and make them go the wrong way.
How do sea turtles make a nest for their eggs? Which part of their body do they use to do this?
The mother digs a hole with her back flippers, lays her eggs, then covers them with sand.
How many days do turtle eggs take to hatch?
50-70 days
The largest sea turtle is the leatherback. How long can it grow to?
It can grow up to 7 feet long.
The largest sea turtle is the leatherback. What weight can it grow to?
It can weigh more than 2,000 lbs (pounds)!
Where was there a giant oil spill in 2010?
In the Gulf of Mexico