Facts of Sea Turtles

Two species of sea turtles nesting on the beaches of Turkey. They show natal homing (nests on the beaches that they born).

Caretta caretta is carnivorous and swims at about 200 m depth of the sea. Chenolia mydas is herbivorous and swims at 20-50 m.

The hatchlings turtles disorientate when they see a light source other than sea.

The sex of sea turtles, like other reptiles, depends on the temperature in the nest.

Sea turtles are ecotransformers (eat in the sea and transport them to the land) between sea and land.

They do not have teeth but have very strong jaws. They eat crabs, jellfishes but also make small pieces of food for other animals.

They live to about 100 years.

It is estimated that only one out of 1,000 hatchlings survives to be an adult.

Some sea turtles migrate very long distances while others stay close to home.