sea turtles are ancient mariners present
in all but Earth’s oldest oceans these
marine reptiles are well adapted to a
life on the moon
[Music]
sea turtles have existed since the time
of the dinosaurs
the earliest known marine turtle lived
about 120 million years ago named Desmet
ausellus paddle I it was six feet long
and had the characteristic features of
modern sea turtles including a carapace
or top shell and paddle like limbs today
there are seven species of sea turtles
with the largest being the leatherback
growing as long as eight feet and
weighing up to 2,000 pounds it is larger
than known fossils of its prehistoric
ancestor deep adlai sea turtles can lay
more than 150 eggs at a time called the
clutch these large egg deposits help
ensure the survival of sea turtle
hatchlings once a female lays her eggs
she returns to the sea leaving her
hatchlings to fend for themselves
fewer than pointone percent of
hatchlings
survived to adulthood in part due to
numerous predators on the beach emerging
in large numbers increases the chance
a sea turtle sex is determined by
temperature
unlike most vertebrates a sea turtle sex
is not determined by sex chromosomes
instead the temperature of the nest
determines the sex of the hatchlings
when temperatures are warm at about 88
degrees Fahrenheit most of the
hatchlings will be female but when
temperatures are cooler less than around
82 degrees Fahrenheit
most of the hatchlings will be male sea
turtles use Earth’s magnetic fields to
navigate sea turtles have geomagnetic
abilities which serve as an internal GPS
the turtles have particles of magnetite
a magnetic mineral in their brains the
magnetite likely plays a role in
orienting sea turtles to Earth’s
magnetic poles similar to a compass baby
sea turtles imprint on the unique
magnetic signature of the beaches where
they hatch this magnetic map can guide
them back to the same beaches several
all seven sea turtle species are
threatened with extinction once abundant
sea turtle populations have dramatically
declined in the past two centuries
fishing is a major threat to sea turtles
as they become caught in fishing nets as
bycatch or accidental catch illegal
harvesting of turtle eggs trafficking
and turtle products and ocean pollution
are also concerns however policies have
been enacted to reduce bycatch protect
turtle habitats and prohibit the killing
of sea turtles and their eggs by
continuing this kind of intervention
humans can help stop the decline of sea
turtles helping keep these ancient mariners in the world’s oceans
in all but Earth’s oldest oceans these
marine reptiles are well adapted to a
life on the moon
[Music]
sea turtles have existed since the time
of the dinosaurs
the earliest known marine turtle lived
about 120 million years ago named Desmet
ausellus paddle I it was six feet long
and had the characteristic features of
modern sea turtles including a carapace
or top shell and paddle like limbs today
there are seven species of sea turtles
with the largest being the leatherback
growing as long as eight feet and
weighing up to 2,000 pounds it is larger
than known fossils of its prehistoric
ancestor deep adlai sea turtles can lay
more than 150 eggs at a time called the
clutch these large egg deposits help
ensure the survival of sea turtle
hatchlings once a female lays her eggs
she returns to the sea leaving her
hatchlings to fend for themselves
fewer than pointone percent of
hatchlings
survived to adulthood in part due to
numerous predators on the beach emerging
in large numbers increases the chance
a sea turtle sex is determined by
temperature
unlike most vertebrates a sea turtle sex
is not determined by sex chromosomes
instead the temperature of the nest
determines the sex of the hatchlings
when temperatures are warm at about 88
degrees Fahrenheit most of the
hatchlings will be female but when
temperatures are cooler less than around
82 degrees Fahrenheit
most of the hatchlings will be male sea
turtles use Earth’s magnetic fields to
navigate sea turtles have geomagnetic
abilities which serve as an internal GPS
the turtles have particles of magnetite
a magnetic mineral in their brains the
magnetite likely plays a role in
orienting sea turtles to Earth’s
magnetic poles similar to a compass baby
sea turtles imprint on the unique
magnetic signature of the beaches where
they hatch this magnetic map can guide
them back to the same beaches several
all seven sea turtle species are
threatened with extinction once abundant
sea turtle populations have dramatically
declined in the past two centuries
fishing is a major threat to sea turtles
as they become caught in fishing nets as
bycatch or accidental catch illegal
harvesting of turtle eggs trafficking
and turtle products and ocean pollution
are also concerns however policies have
been enacted to reduce bycatch protect
turtle habitats and prohibit the killing
of sea turtles and their eggs by
continuing this kind of intervention
humans can help stop the decline of sea
turtles helping keep these ancient mariners in the world’s oceans
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