The green sea turtle is the most famous subspecies of marine animals. She gained her popularity due to the fact that her meat is unusually tasty, and the soup that is cooked from her is a delicacy. No wonder the second name for this species of turtles is soup.
External features of green sea turtles
Green turtles are the largest species of sea turtles. Some specimens reach a weight of 400 kg, but this is still very rare, on average, the weight of an adult is about 200 kg, while it can grow up to 140 cm in length and about 75 cm in height (some representatives up to 135 cm) …
Although the turtle is called green, its color can range from olive to golden brown, and there are also black individuals. Instead of paws, turtles of this species have flippers that cannot be pulled into the shell, just like a huge head.
Habitat
The green sea turtle can be found in many parts of the world: it lives in the southern coast of Argentina and in the northern United States. This turtle species is a frequent visitor off the coast of England and the Benelux countries, as well as in South African waters and in Australia.
A favorite habitat for green turtles is coastal waters, where at shallow depths they do not have a deficiency in plant food, which is the basis of their diet. In addition to grass, turtles consume shellfish, jellyfish and other arthropods, as well as fish.
Sexual maturity in sea turtles occurs at the age of 10 years. Breeding animals travel great distances, returning to the places where they were born. The mating process itself takes place in water. After it, the female on the sandy shore digs a hole and lays eggs in it, their number can be different, usually from 100 to 200 pieces. In a period of up to 3 months, small turtles are born. Within three hours after birth, babies make their way to the water.
Destruction of the green sea turtle
Green sea turtles have many enemies, and therefore the number of these animals in nature is not too large. At the stage of eggs, predators such as raccoons, snakes, jaguars, and domestic dogs pose a danger to the nest. They ravage the clutches by eating eggs. Newly hatched, young, turtles in the water are constantly waiting for schools of predatory fish.
The role of humans in reducing the population of this species is even more significant. Since the days of Columbus, green sea turtles have been mass exterminated. They were killed by sailors and filibusters for food. They fried, salted, dried meat. Then, for many centuries, the extraction of turtle meat and eggs was carried out on an industrial scale. Restaurants were willing to pay dearly for such an exquisite product.
The fishery has led to a significant decline in the number of sea turtles around the world. Currently, hunting for this species is completely prohibited in most of the countries where they live. However, poachers still kill animals today. In addition to meat and eggs, the shell of a green turtle is also appreciated, from which all kinds of souvenirs are made.
