Turtles

The green sea turtle range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean. As with the other hard shelled sea turtles, it cannot survive in our seas. The green turtle only feeds on sea grass and got it’s name from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, due to its diet. They can grow to over 1m in length but as with the other species it normally the juveniles that we see in our waters. Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. The green turtle is classified as ‘Least concern’ on the ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’.

The hawksbill turtle has a global distribution that is largely limited to tropical and subtropical marine and estuary ecosystems, and they cannot survive in our cold waters. The hawksbill turtle is easily distinguished from other sea turtles by its sharp, curving beak with prominent tomium, and the saw-like appearance of its shell margins. Hawksbill shells slightly change colours, depending on water temperature. The hawksbill turtle is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’

Kemp’s ridley turtle is the rarest, smallest sea turtle and is the world’s most endangered species of sea turtle. Despite this it is the third most common to be reported to us with the number of reports increasing. They grow to just to around 60cm when fully grown but the ones that turn up on our shores tend to be juveniles around the same size as your hand. The kemp’s sea turtle primarily occupies habitat around the Gulf of Mexico, with only a few know beaches that they lay their eggs in that area. They cannot survive in UK & Irish waters. conservation efforts are attempting to rebuild population numbers.

The leatherback turtle is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest growing to just under 3m in length and weighting up to 500 kilograms. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell; instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin, for which it is named. They mostly feed on jellyfish and can be seen amongst jellyfish swarms around the UK & Irish coastline. They are the only marine turtle that can survive in our waters. The leatherback turtle is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’ with the population trend decreasing.

Although the loggerhead turtle cannot survive in our waters it is the second most common to be reported to us. The loggerhead sea turtle grows to around 1m when fully grown, but most the ones that turn up on the UK & Irish shoreline are juveniles not much larger that your hand. Juvenile loggerhead turtle. Immature loggerheads often have sharp keels on their vertebral scutes and posterior marginal scutes. These recede with larger size and age. The skin ranges from yellow to brown in colour, and the shell is typically reddish brown. The loggerhead sea turtle is found in warmer waters around the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The loggerhead turtle is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’.

The olive ridley turtle is the second smallest sea turtles found in the world. The olive ridley is found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean and cannot survive in our colder waters. This olive ridley is related to the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle are best known for their unique synchronised mass nesting’s called arribadas, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. They grow up to around 60cm in length. The Olive ridley turtle is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’.