SEA TURTLE SPECIES – Greens

SEA TURTLE SPECIES – Greens Chelonia mydas

Though not as big as the leatherback, green sea turtles are the largest hard-shelled species of sea turtle, weighing in between 300-500 pounds and reaching up to 4 feet in length when fully grown.

Green sea turtle nesting makes up about 5-10% of nesting annually in Broward. The green turtles are the second most common nesters around here, with anywhere between 200-700 nests each season.

The green turtles are the last species to arrive each season, with the bulk of their nesting occurring between June and September. Due to the timing of their nesting, green turtles are also known to crawl pretty far up on the beach. It’s not uncommon for them to crawl 400-600 feet up on the beach to lay their eggs near the dunes.

TURTELY COOL GREEN FACTS

They have a wide, smooth carapace that is brown to olive color
The green sea turtle doesn’t get its name from the color of its shell, but rather the color of its fat because they consume seagrasses and algae, which have chlorophyll in them and tints the fat green
As adults, they are strictly herbivorous
Are considered the athletes of the sea turtle world

Throughout the world, some populations of green turtles are listed as endangered or critically endangered. However, thanks to extensive conservation, the North Atlantic and East Pacific subpopulations have improved and are now listed as threatened.