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Sea Turtle Fact Sheet:
• Sea turtles have been on earth for nearly 100 million years, truly modern
dinosaurs.
• 5 of the 7 species of turtles in the world live in the coastal waters of Panama.
o Green or Black sea turtles (Chelonia mydas): An endangered
species, these turtles are one of only a couple herbivorous
species.
o Leatherback sea turtle(Dermochelys coriacea): This is a critically
endangered species and the fourth largest modern reptile. This
is the only sea turtle without a bony outer shell.
o Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta): Also listed as endan
gered, this is one of the larger species of turtles, weighing up to
135 kilograms (300lbs).
o Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea): Listed as a vulnerable
species, this turtle is the only one that solely visits the Panamanian Pacific coast.
o Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate): A critically endangered
species, this turtle is identified by its beak-like mouth and its
appearance differs in color based on the water temperature.
• It can take anywhere from 10-20 years for a sea turtle to mature.
• Sea turtles lay 80-100 eggs per nest, and lay several nests over the course of
the season (July-December).
• The temperature of the eggs in a nest will determine the gender of the baby
turtles. Higher temperatures lead to a shorter incubation time, and mainly
female offspring.
• It takes anywhere from 45 days- 2 months for sea turtle eggs to hatch, and
most hatchings take place at night. If eggs hatch in the wild during the day,
there is a very small chance the turtles will make it to the ocean because of
predators such as birds that populate the shores.
• They are considered an indicator species. The health and size of a sea turtle
population can be a general indication of the health of the oceans and coasts
they live in.
• Humans are the greatest threat to sea turtles. Every year turtles are caught in
fishing nets, their eggs are poached for food, and lights on our coasts disorient and confuse turtles looking to lay their eggs. Also, human trash on the
beaches attracts non-natural predators of the baby turtles such as feral dogs
and cats.