The sea turtles are found in the tropical regions of the Pacific, but individual turtles lay their eggs in the same breeding grounds located on beaches throughout their lives. The leatherback turtle is the largest of all sea turtles with adults attaining an average weight of 1,500 pounds. Credits – Green sea turtle on the sand on the ocean floor: Dejan Sarman, Dreamstime. Sea Turtle Evolution. Loggerhead sea turtles spend most of their time in the open ocean and shallow coastal waters where they’re highly likely to encounter plastic pollution. Learn about the ways WWF works to conserve a future where people live in harmony with nature. 1 Biology 2 History 3 Trivia 4 Gallery 5 References Leatherback is a naturally hostile creature whose appearance is akin to that of a gorilla; however, if injured, Leatherback uses hit and run tactics to defeat foes. Protect endangered species, including the dugong, at World Wildlife Fund. At first glance the turtle anatomy may appear to be simple, however, underneath of its shell turtle can be fairly complex. Green sea turtle swimming above coral on the ocean floor: Aquanaut4, Dreamstime. Weight: 70 to 1500 pounds. Head: foremost part of a tortoise which is attached to the trunk; Neck: part of a tortoise between the head and the body ; Nuchal shell: hard plate that forms the shell of the tortoise close to the nape of the neck; Vertebral shell: scale above the tortoises spinal column Sea turtles are one of the most iconic and popular animals found at Padre Island National Seashore. Our wide selection is eligible for free shipping and free returns. Westend61 - Gerald Nowak/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images Species . Leatherbacks are one of the most migratory of all marine turtle species, making both trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific crossings. The green turtle is the world's largest species of hard-shelled sea turtle. Leatherback is a Category IV Kaiju. Today, green sea turtles are classified as an endangered species and we need to do all we can to protect them! There are seven species of sea turtles. Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas Common Name(s): Green sea turtle, black sea turtle (in the eastern Pacific) Basic Animal Group: Reptile Size: Adults grow to between 31–47 inches Weight: 300–440 pounds Lifespan: 80–100 years Diet: Herbivore Habitat: In warm subtropical and tropical ocean waters. Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira.The seven existing species of sea turtles are the green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, flatback sea turtle, and leatherback sea turtle. When you purchase a Loggerhead Sea Turtle Bracelet, you pull a pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines. It weighs 600 to 1,500 lbs. The largest sea turtle species is the leatherback turtle. The leatherback sea turtles can reach as deep as 1000 feet deep in the ocean. Sea turtles fall into one of two families. All five of the sea turtle species found in the Gulf of Mexico rely on the park and its adjacent waters. Six of them (the hawksbill, green, flatback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley turtles) have shells made up of hard scutes, while the aptly-named leatherback turtle is in the Family Dermochelyidae and has a leathery carapace made up of connective tissue. To find out how you can help, swim over to wwf.panda.org. It will retreat from proactive battle and hide until the enemy is distracted. The leatherback is the largest sea turtle and can weigh a whopping 2,000 pounds. Leatherback turtle facts for kids: learn about these top turtles, with facts about the leatherback's habitat, lifecycle, diet, adaptations and threats. Family Dermochelyidae includes only one modern species of sea turtle, the leatherback turtle. Buy Luminox 0321 Leatherback SEA Turtle Giant Black Mens Watch and other Wrist Watches at Amazon.com. All leatherback sea turtle populations are declining, but those in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans are more robust than the plummeting Pacific populations, Benson said. Family Cheloniidae includes sea turtles which have shells covered with scutes (horny plates). Rather than a shell covered with scutes, … It’s also the only sea turtle that doesn’t have a hard, bony shell. The leatherback turtle is the largest marine turtle and one of the largest living reptiles. Kemp's ridley sea turtles nest here more than at any other location in the United States. [ Read: Clownfish Facts For Kids] We hope you and your child enjoyed reading these facts and information about sea turtles. This order is part of the class Reptilia, which also includes animals like snakes, crocodiles, and lizards. The largest sea turtle ever discovered weighed around 2,020 pounds with a length of 9.8 feet. Sea turtles belong to the order Testudines whose first specimens date back to about 220 million years ago, making them one of the most primitive groups of reptiles that still inhabit the earth. Nesting occurs in over 80 countries, and they live in the coastal waters of 140 countries They are unique among sea turtles in that they are herbivores, eating mostly seaweed, seagrasses, and …