Wildlifeof China
Green Sea Turtle
Sea Turtles
Photo: Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble · CC BY 4.0
Chelonia mydas
Basic stats
Diet
Juveniles are omnivorous, eating marine invertebrates, zooplankton, wetland plants, and algae; adults are predominantly herbivorous grazers of seagrasses and algae
Habitat
Shallow tropical and subtropical coastal waters, reefs, pelagic waters, seagrass and algal foraging grounds, and sandy nesting beaches
Range
Cosmopolitan tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and Mediterranean Sea, approximately 40°N to 40°S
Clutch size
75–200 eggs; reported averages 136–150
Incubation period
45–75 days
Size
100–120 cm adult carapace length
Weight
150–200 kg
Green sea turtles inhabit tropical and subtropical waters around the world, ranging through the Atlantic, Pacific, northern Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea. Adults generally forage in shallow coastal areas rich in algae and seagrass, while young turtles spend several years drifting through pelagic habitats. Females migrate through major current systems to sandy nesting beaches. Adults typically have carapaces 100 to 120 centimeters long and weigh approximately 150 to 200 kilograms. (Animal Diversity Web)
Young green turtles are omnivorous and consume small marine invertebrates, zooplankton, sea-hare eggs, wetland vegetation, and algae. Their diet becomes increasingly herbivorous as they mature, with adults feeding mainly on seagrasses and red or green algae. A nesting female may produce one to nine clutches in a season, averaging about three. Each clutch contains 75 to 200 eggs, and the eggs ordinarily hatch after an incubation period of 45 to 75 days. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Green Sea Turtle eat?
- Juveniles are omnivorous, eating marine invertebrates, zooplankton, wetland plants, and algae; adults are predominantly herbivorous grazers of seagrasses and algae
- What habitat does the Green Sea Turtle live in?
- Shallow tropical and subtropical coastal waters, reefs, pelagic waters, seagrass and algal foraging grounds, and sandy nesting beaches
- Where is the Green Sea Turtle found?
- Cosmopolitan tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and Mediterranean Sea, approximately 40°N to 40°S
- How many eggs does the Green Sea Turtle lay?
- 75–200 eggs; reported averages 136–150
- How long are the eggs of the Green Sea Turtle incubated?
- 45–75 days
- How big is the Green Sea Turtle?
- 100–120 cm adult carapace length
- How much does the Green Sea Turtle weigh?
- 150–200 kg