Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are gentle reptiles that spend most of their lives in the ocean. They have a hard shell and four flippers for swimming. Sea turtles can hold their breath for a very long time underwater. They have been on Earth for more than 100 million years.

Seven Kinds of Sea Turtles

There are seven different kinds of sea turtles in the world. The biggest is the leatherback, which can weigh more than 1,500 pounds. The smallest is the Kemp's ridley. Green sea turtles eat mostly sea grass, while others eat jellyfish, crabs, or sponges. All sea turtles need to come up to the surface to breathe air.

Babies on the Beach

Mother sea turtles come out of the ocean to lay their eggs on sandy beaches. They dig a hole with their flippers and lay up to 100 eggs at a time. After about two months, the baby turtles hatch and crawl to the sea. They are very tiny and have to watch out for birds and crabs. Only a few babies from each nest grow up to be adults.

Fun Facts

• Sea turtles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their own eggs.
• The temperature of the sand decides if baby turtles will be boys or girls.
• Some sea turtles can live to be over 100 years old.

Did You Know?

Leatherback sea turtles can dive more than 3,000 feet deep into the ocean. That is deeper than most whales go.