Wild Life of the Month: Green Sea Turtle

Adult green sea turtles can grow as big as 5 feet and 200-400 lbs!

If you've ever gone snorkeling in St. Thomas, or anywhere in the United States Virgin Islands, you most likely have seen a green sea turtle. They are popular around St. Thomas and other islands in the Caribbean, but many places can't say the same about the green sea turtle. They enjoy a tropical climate, and a vegetarian diet. The green sea turtle lives a very mobile life, traveling from one place to another, trying to breed and feed, just as their ancestors did for thousands of years. But with great travels, comes great dangers. These noble creatures of the ocean have been poached and have had their habitats destroyed for many years. Don't worry though, in recent years, there have been many groups, organizations and laws protecting our friend, the green sea turtle. 

The green sea turtle body is perfect for swimming! It has paddle-like
arms, flat body and beaked head. 

Many tourist come to the Virgin Islands seeking beautiful beaches, frozen drinks, countless hours of relaxation, and, of course, the fantastic snorkeling. If you're yearning to spot a green sea turtle, there are a few places you need to check out! First off, Turtle Cove! The name says it all, when you're snorkeling here, you're almost guaranteed to see a turtle of some kind. Next, I'd like to mention Buck Island. This island also has some amazing snorkeling. Both Turtle Cove and Buck Island are protected waters and has abundant marine life! Coki beach is also very good for snorkeling. This beach has a very diverse marine population that'll keep you busy for hours! Our sea turtles are used to people, so don't be too alarmed if one swims right by you...they're probably just ready for their close up! 

Buck Island, a popular turtle destination

These large creatures of the sea live quite a life from state to finish! With a life span of 80-100 years in the wild, a turtle can live an adventurous life. It takes a green sea turtle around 20-50 years to reach sexual maturity! Once they are ready, they return to the beach for the first time since they were born and make their nests. Typically, turtles will return to the same beach that they were hatched to lay their eggs! A mother can have up to 8 nests and lay a total of 110 eggs! When she's finished, she leaves the beach and goes on with her life. These little eggs will be on the beach for about 2 months, keeping warm by the heat of the sun. When they are ready to hatch, they will wait until night fall for the sand to cool and waddle out into the big ocean. This is the most dangerous time in a sea turtle life, and they're a perfect size for predators, such as birds, raccoons, and fish. Once they get in the water, they start their "swimming frenzy" and that lasts for a few days. The "swimming frenzy" is when the hatchlings swim as fast as they can into the water to get away from the dangers of the land.

Between nesting and feeding, the green sea turtle can travel up to 1600 miles!

Next, they experience their "lost years". This is when the turtles go on an adventure and this can last up to a decade! Yes, turtles are herbivores, but during this time in their youth, they roam the sea eating invertebrates, like jelly fish, crabs, and sponges.

Once they reach about the size of a dinner plate, they will return to coastal waters and start their vegetarian diets. They will hang out there for awhile until they reach sexual maturity, and then the cycle starts all over again.

The green sea turtle was named after the color of
their fat, rather than their external color.

The green sea turtle has been endangered since 1982, but the United States and many other countries are doing their part to saving this majestic species from extinction. The green sea turtle, along with other endangered species, are protected internationally by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They have been poached for many of years for their meat and shells, but in recent years, they have been cracking down on illegal poaching. But this isn't just their problem, we can all do our part. Remember to clean up after yourself at the beach and don't touch the coral. Also, try to educate yourself before snorkeling or before heading to St. Thomas, where there is a vast population of endangered sea turtles. Do your part!