Green Turtle

Description:

Newly hatched baby green turtle, less than a day old. This baby was seen at the Turtle Hatchery at Sipadan Island, which is world famous for its population of Turtles, both Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtle. The hatchery staff usually relocate eggs of Turtles to the hatchery to keep them safe from predators, mostly monitor lizards on the island. It takes 100-150 days before the baby turtle hatches. The eggs hatch during the night, and the hatchlings instinctively head directly into the water. This is the most dangerous time in a turtle's life. As they walk, predators, such as gulls and crabs, feed on them. A significant percentage never make it to the ocean. Little is known of the initial life history of newly hatched sea turtles. Juveniles spend three to five years in the open ocean before they settle as still-immature juveniles into their permanent shallow-water lifestyle. It is speculated that they take twenty to fifty years to reach sexual maturity. Individuals live up to eighty years in the wild. It is estimated that only 1% of hatchlings reach sexual maturity. At this hatchery, to increase the chances of their survival, the hatchery staff will keep the newly hatched turtles for the day before releasing them towards evening, where they have a better chance to survive.

Habitat:

The range of C. mydas extends throughout tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. There are two major subpopulations, the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific subpopulations. Each population is genetically distinct, with their own set of nesting and feeding grounds within the population's known range.