Green Sea Turtles

The green sea turtle, also known as Chelonia mydas, belongs to a family of large sea turtles, Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the Chelonia genus. They are found in tropical and subtropical waters all around the globe. Their largest populations are in Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. They are named green sea turtles due to the presence of green colored fat present under their carapaces (the hard upper shell). The turtle has a flattened dorso-ventral body surface, sheathed with a tear-drop shaped carapace. It has a curved head, short neck, a pair of large, paddle like flippers which are adapted for swimming. The turtles are usually green in color, but in eastern Pacific, they are almost black. An adult sea turtle can grow up to 5 feet long with a carapace height of 31 to 44 inches. Average weight of a green turtle is between 68 to 190 kgs. There are certain characteristics that differentiate them from other turtles of the family. The green turtle has a very short snout with a straight beak, unlike its closely related species, hawksbill turtles. The covering of the upper jaw has a denticulated border and the lower jaw has a well-built and jagged denticulation. The rear surface of the head has two pairs of prefrontal scales. The carapace bears five centrally positioned scutes belted by four pairs of lateral scutes. Between the shell and the plastron, there are four pairs of inframarginal scutes. Frontal limbs of a green turtle have one claw, although occasionally there can be two, usually in younger turtles. The carapace has several color motifs that tend to alter with time. Hatchlings have dark carapaces with light plastrons, juveniles are brown to olive in colors while the mature ones can be fully brown, or dotted with different type of designs. Usually, the plastron has a yellow color. The limbs are dark in color, with yellow borders. Unlike other turtles, the green turtles are herbivorous. They primarily feed on seagrass. However, hatchlings are carnivorous and pelagic. Depending on the stage of life, green turtles have three life stages. Adults reside in shallow, coastal waters with abundant seagrass beds. They are also found in inshore coasts with seagrass meadows. For the first few years of life, mostly five, turtles live in convergence zones in the open ocean. During the nesting time, they migrate to the beaches. The turtles swim at the speed of 2.5 to 3 km/hour. Their predators include tiger sharks, crabs, marine mammals and shore birds. Their eggs are attacked by golden jackals and red foxes. The green sea turtles are noted as endangered species and it is now illegal to hunt, kill or capture them.

Green Sea Turtles in Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Tours to the nesting sites of green sea turtles are popular in the pacific coast of Costa Rica. Some of the most important beaches for nesting are in Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. Playa Huevos and Playa Cabuyal in Golfo de Papagayo have about 20 nesting points. On the northern side of the province, a wildlife refuge is situated on the beach of Ostional. It is the biggest nesting beach for olive ridley turtles, leatherback turtles and green sea turtles. The other two nesting regions in Guanacaste are Playa Nancite and Santa Rosa National Park. Females migrate to lay eggs in the months of July, August, December and January. Nesting lasts for only 4 to 8 days but over 120,000 turtles nest at the same time. It is a quite a sight. Curu Wildlife Refuge is on the eastern Nicoya Peninsula, and kinds of turtles travel to the bays during the nesting season, including green sea turtles.
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References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_sea_turtle
http://www.moon.com/destinations/costa-rica/discover-costa-rica/explore-costa-rica/turtle-watching-costa-rica

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