Marine Reptiles: Fact File
What is a marine reptile?
Reptiles are cold
blooded creatures
which have a backbone and scaly skin.
They use their lungs
to breathe air and
they lay eggs.
Marine reptiles are
reptiles which have evolved and adapted to a life in
the sea. They are all still air breathing however, so
they do need to come to the surface of the water to
breath.
There aren’t many species of marine reptile; just
60 species of snake, 7 species of turtle, only 1
crocodile and 1 lizard.
There were once many different species of
marine reptile, but most died out around the same
time as the dinosaurs. Many people are fascinated
by extinct species of marine reptiles such as the
Plesiosaur. In fact, there are stories from around
the world based on such creatures including
Scotland’s very own Loch Ness Monster!
Activity:
Choose your favourite marine reptile
and create a presentation to show how
we can preserve its habitat.
Action:
Research more about the
threats facing sea turtles.
Are marine reptiles in danger?
The number of species of marine reptiles is small
and many of them are under threat from extinction.
Three species of sea turtle including the
Leatherback are listed as critically endangered.
Why are marine reptiles in
danger?
Many species of marine
reptile, such as the Marine
Iguana (which is only found in
the Galapagos Islands) are
unique to specific habitats.
The reason species are in trouble is because many
of those habitats are changing.
Some species can’t cope with water
temperature changes caused by phenomena such
as climate change. Others are badly affected by
pollution. Sea turtles, for example, often mistake
plastic bags for jellyfish, their favourite food.
Nesting sites of many marine reptiles are also
changing. For example, many beaches have lots
of artificial lighting that can confuse baby turtles.
The hunting of marine reptiles is also contributing to
their decline since the skin, shell and meat of many
of these creatures are highly prized in some parts
of the world.
Copyright © 2008 Glasgow Science Centre
Are there marine reptiles in
Scotland?
Though there aren’t any crocodiles,
iguanas or sea snakes in Scotland’s
seas, at certain times of the year 5 out
of 7 species of sea turtle have been
spotted off the coast of Scotland.
While scientists believe that most
turtles, having travelled thousands of miles, have
simply lost their way, it is thought that the rare
Leatherback Turtle makes Scotland a regular
part of it’s journey. Why they visit Scotland’s waters
and what they do there isn’t fully understood but it is
known that turtles love to eat jellyfish, which are
plentiful in Scottish seas.
What can be done?
The Scottish Government is keen to protect sea
turtles visiting Scottish shores. Many ideas, such
as shops charging customers for plastic bags, are
being considered to ensure that Scotland does its
part to protect these rare marine creatures.
Did you know that the
Beaked Sea Snake is
the most venomous
snake in the world?