For all species of sea turtles it takes a long time to reach maturity but at the age needed for reproduction they come up to lay their eggs various times during the season, continuing with an interval of a couple of years. The female comes up during the night, lays and buries her eggs, a process of about 20 minutes to an hour and when going back to the sea she will not return to the nest again. About 60 days later (depending on the specie) the baby turtles hatch and will then have to find their way to the ocean. The journey is riskful and many of the turtles are being killed and eaten by birds, crabs and fishes. Of 1000 eggs, only one turtle is likely to reach adulthood.
The nesting season for turtles in Tortuguero is between June and October.
Today, many of the sea turtles are in great danger of extinction. It is believed, that the eggs stimulate the libido and a drink of turtle eggs and tomato juice is, unfortunately, considered an aphrodisiac. The turtle meat is prepared in many different ways and consumed by a lot of people. Although it is prohibited to collect eggs and the turtle is a protected specie the people doesn't give up their old traditions easily and park rangers have difficulties to control every part of the coast. A great amount of eggs and the turtles themselves are still illegally harvested on the beaches of Costa Rica.
Another threat for the turtles are the commercial fisheries and their huge nets where not only the fishes but also the turtles get caught.
Also the deforestation is considered to provoke the decrease of the number of sea turtles. Logs and driftwood is washed up by the sea, which makes it more difficult for the turtles to come up and lay their eggs. Because of the obstacles on the beach the turtles lay their eggs closer to the sea and many eggs are washed away when the high tide is coming in.
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The Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas)
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Length: |
1 m |
| Weight: |
100 kg |
The Green turtle is the biggest hard-shelled turtle and the colour of the shell varies between black, gray, green or brown and is covered by irregular patterns. The specie is found in tropical and sub-tropical oceans and depending on the age it prefers different areas. Generally they live along the coastline, around islands, in bays or protected shores and are rarely found in open waters. The Green turtle is the only sea turtle that is strictly vegetarian and feed mainly from sea grass and algae. The nesting intervals are 2 to 3 years, 3 to 5 times per season and the female will each time lay an average of 115 eggs.
The turtles are being killed for their shell, meat and skin and are nowadays in great danger of distinction. The estimated number of nesting females in the entire world is about 200,000. |
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The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys Coriacea)
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Length: |
1,6 m |
| Weight: |
360 kg |
The shell of the Leatherback turtle is distinctive from the other sea turtles since it is slightly flexible and has a rubbery texture. The Leatherback is the biggest living turtle, it travels the farthest and dives the deepest. It can also live in colder water than the other sea turtles since it has a slightly lower body temperature and is found from Alaska in the north to the tip of Africa in the south. The main source of alimentation is jellyfish. The nesting intervals are every 2 to 3 years and 6 to 9 times per season. The Leatherback lays about 80 fertilized eggs and 30 smaller unfertilized eggs. There is no scientific explanation of why they lay unfertilized eggs but one theory is that they exist as a buffer to protect the fertilized eggs.
The Leatherback is endangered and it is estimated that there are only about 34,000 nesting female Leatherback turtles in the world. |
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The Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta Caretta)
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Length: |
92 cm |
| Weight: |
113 kg |
The Loggerhead got its name because of the big head. The shell of the adult has a reddish or brown colour. With the powerful jaws they feed on invertebrates and animals attached to cliffs and rocks. The Loggerhead turtle nest every 2 to 3 years and 4 to 7 times per season, laying more than 100 eggs every time.
The number of Loggerhead turtles is declining, the estimated numbers of nesting females are 60,000 and since the greatest part of the population lives in the Gulf or the southwest Atlantic the shrimp fishing is a big threat to the specie. |
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The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricata)
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Length: |
87 cm |
| Weight: |
60 kg |
The Hawksbill Turtle is covered by brown and black patterns and has a V-shaped jaw that gives the turtle a bird-like appearance. The Hawksbill turtle lives in tropical or sub-tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific or Indian Oceans and the population is usually found in reef systems where they live from sponges. Because of its small body the turtle can even enter beaches with a lot of driftwood without greater problems. The nesting intervals are every 2 to 3 years and they nest about 4-5 times during the season with an interval of 14 days. The Hawksbill turtle will lay about 160 eggs at a time.
The turtles are being killed for their shell, meat and skin and the specie is in danger of extinction. The estimated numbers of nesting females are 8,000. |
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