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Facts. EN Status. Endangered. Scientific Name. Chelonia mydas. Weight. 150-400 pounds. Length. 31-47 inches. Habitats. Oceans. The green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. Green turtles are in fact named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells.
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The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia.
- Bycatch in Fishing Gear
- Direct Harvest of Turtles and Eggs
- Loss and Degradation of Nesting Habitat
- Vessel Strikes
- Ocean Pollution/Marine Debris
- Climate Change
- Disease
A primary threat to sea turtles is their unintended capture in fishing gear which can result in drowning or cause injuries that lead to death or debilitation (for example, swallowing hooks, or flipper entanglement). The term for this unintended capture is bycatch. Sea turtle bycatch is a worldwide problem. The primary types of gear that result in b...
Historically, green turtles were killed in extraordinarily high numbers for their fat, meat, and eggs. This led to the catastrophic global decline of the species. While illegal in the United States, killing green turtles and collecting their eggs remains legal in some countries and this can disrupt regional efforts to recover this species.
Coastal development and rising seas from climate change are leading to the loss of nesting beach habitat for green turtles. Shoreline hardening or armoring (e.g., seawalls) can result in the complete loss of dry sand suitable for successful nesting. Artificial lighting on and near nesting beaches can deter nesting females from coming ashore to nest...
Various types of watercraft can strike green turtles when they are at or near the surface resulting in injury or death. Vessel strikes are a major threat to green turtles, in particular large juveniles and adults near ports, waterways, and developed coastlines throughout their range. High boat traffic areas such as marinas and inlets present a high...
Increasing pollution of nearshore and offshore marine habitats threatens all sea turtles and degrades their habitats. The Deepwater Horizon oil spillwas the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history and affected nesting (including nesting females, eggs, and hatchlings), small juvenile, large juvenile, and adult sea turtles throughout the Gulf of M...
For all sea turtles, a warming climateis likely to result in changes in beach morphology and higher sand temperatures, which can be lethal to eggs or alter the ratio of male and female hatchlings produced. Rising seas and storm events cause beach erosion, which may flood nests or wash them away. Changes in the temperature of the marine environment ...
Fibropapillomatosisis a disease that causes external and internal tumors in green turtles. These tumors can significantly affect their ability to swim and feed and can lead to death. The disease is most prevalent in green turtles and some evidence has linked the disease prevalence to degraded marine habitats.
Photo Ark. Green Sea Turtle. Common Name: Green Sea Turtle. Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. Type: Reptiles. Diet: Herbivore. Group Name: Bale. Size: Up to 5 feet. Weight: Up to 700...
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Green sea turtles are the world’s largest species of hard-shelled sea turtle. Common Name: Green Sea Turtle. Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. Type: Reptiles. Diet: Herbivore. Group...
Status: Endangered. Classification: Reptile. Description. A green sea turtle is most easily recognized by its top shell. The shell covers most of the animal’s body, except for its flippers and head. Despite its name, a green sea turtle's shell is not always green.
Green sea turtles are unique—they are one of the largest species of turtle and the only sea turtle that is strictly herbivorous as an adult (although juvenile green sea turtles will also eat crabs, sponges and jellyfish). Green sea turtles eat sea grasses and algae, which results in the green-colored fat and cartilage that inspired their name.
