Sea Turtles Habitat

Sea turtles are basically air breathing reptiles, native to the tropical and subtropical waters of the planet. These turtles inhabit every ocean in the world, except for the Arctic water body. There are different types of turtles, ranging from Olive Ridley sea turtles, weighing around 100 lbs, to Leatherback sea turtles, weighing between 650 to 1300 lbs. These turtle species come in various shapes and sizes, each species differing from other, in terms of their shell color. Found in abundance at one point of time, today these species are battling for their basic survival.

Sea Turtles Habitat According to Different Species

Owing to the diversity in sea turtles species, their habitat extends over thousands of nautical miles in the various ocean bodies of the world. These turtles most often tend to inhabit the warm and temperate waters in the tropics and subtropics. Other than the deep oceans, their habitat spans across the protected bays, estuaries and near shore waters. Some species nest and feed in same area, whereas some migrate thousands of miles for foraging. For instance, Loggerhead species which nest off the Japanese coast, migrate to the waters off the Mexican coast in search of food. Leatherback sea turtles have the ability to withstand cold temperatures, and hence they can easily survive the cold waters in south (Chile coast) and north (Alaskan coast). These turtles spend most of their life in the oceans. Although female species appear on the land to lay eggs during the hatching season, male species are seldom seen out of the water body.

Leatherback turtle species have the widest range, spanning over the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Their range extends from coast of Alaska in the North to the southernmost tip of New Zealand in the south. In terms of distribution, the Loggerhead sea turtles succeed the Leatherback species, with a large part of population being encountered off the coast of Oman. The Hawksbill sea turtles mostly inhabit the tropical waters, but at times they are also found in subtropical areas. Their largest concentration is observed in Caribbean Sea and Seychelles. The second largest sea turtle species, the Green turtles are found in the subtropical as well as the tropical waters. Their largest concentration is noted off the coast of Costa Rica and Oman. Two of the smallest species - the Kemp's Ridley and the Olive Ridley also have a global distribution, excluding the Arctic Ocean. Among the various species, the Flatback sea turtles have the smallest range, spanning over the continental shelf and coastal waters of the tropical regions.

Some Interesting Facts

If you thought that habitat of sea turtles was quite interesting, here are some more fascinating facts about these reptiles.

• Fossil evidence traces the existence of sea turtles back to Triassic age, meaning these creatures existed around 200 million years ago.
• In some species, the females store the sperms within them and produce eggs four years after mating.
• The snake-neck turtle derives its name from its neck, which is as long as its body.
• Some of these turtles have the capacity of living for a period of year or more without food.
• Growing to a length of about 6½, the Leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle species in the world.
• Male turtle species seldom return to the land, once they venture into the sea, on the other hand female species do turn up during the hatching season.
• If threatened by a predator, the Green sea turtle is known to swim at a speed of 20 mph.
• As the name suggests, the head of the Big-headed turtle species is so large that it cannot retract its head into its shell.
• Amazingly enough, Hawksbill sea turtle species tend to feed on sea sponges which are very poisonous in nature.
• Sadly, the survival rate in these turtles is very low, with some studies estimating that only one out of a thousand hatchlings are able to survive.

Over the last century, sea turtles population has depleted to a great extent. Conservationists believe that increasing demand for turtle meat, skin and shells has led to excessive hunting of these species, which has brought about a drastic fall in their numbers. Furthermore, habitat destruction caused by pollution of ocean water has made several species vulnerable to extinction. If some action is not taken soon, there will come a point of time wherein we will only see or hear about sea turtles in pictures and museums.