The turtles are a group of the most primitives reptiles. The most ancient fossil is about 230 millions years old.
The sea turtles are pre historic creatures. They live in our planet since more than 100 millions years. However, today they are in danger of being extinguished.
The turtles, the lizards, the snakes, and the crocodiles are reptiles. For this reason, the sea turtles are cold blood animals and they use the sun light to reheat their bodies.
Only the Dermochelys coriacea turtle can regulate its body temperature. Also, these turtles are capable to dive so deep as 1300 meters.
In general, the turtles spend most of their lives in the sea, the females go out periodically to lay the eggs. The males also go out but very seldom. They lay between 50 and 200 eggs per nest depending on the species. The incubation period can last between 45 and 75 days also depending on the species. It is believed that only one from 1000 little turtles will reach the maturity.
The sexual maturity takes between 10 to 50 years also depending on the species. Some species can live more than 100 years.
In our days, there are 2 families of turtles ( before they were 4).
Today this family is represented by one species.
The Dermochelys coriacea Turtle
This is the biggest turtle in the world, it can measure 2.4 meters long and weight 500 kgs or more.
In our days, according to the Red List of Species in Danger of The World Union for Nature (UICN), this turtle is in EXTREME danger of extinction.
Today this family is represented by six species.
The adults measure 1.5 meters long and can weight more than 230 kgs. Is the only herbivorous species of the sea turtles.
According to the Red List is in danger of extinction.
The adults females measure between 60 and 95 cm long and weight around 60 kgs.
According to the Red List, is in EXTREME danger of extinction.
The adults can measure between 90 cm and 110cm long and weight as much as 180 kgs.
According to The Red List, they are in danger of extinction.
They measure between 50 and 70 cm long and weight between 35 and 50 kgs.
According to The Red List, they are in danger of extinction.
They measure some 70 cm and weight between 35 and 50 kgs.
According the Red List, they are in EXTREME danger of extinction.
These turtles can grow as much as one meter and weight some 90 kgs.
According to The Red List, there is not enough information to know the real condition of this species.
The sea turtles migrate thorough the oceans, traveling sometimes, as much as 6000 kms, to get food, to reproduce and to lay their eggs on the beaches.
The first steps of the live of the sea turtles are of high mortality. During the incubation period and then when the little turtles get out of the eggs and nests.
With the time and as they grow bigger, the predators decrease. But, is the human being that causes most of the damage eating their meat and their eggs and commercializing their shell. They are also victims of accidental captures. This means that sometimes they are captured accidentally by fishermen that are not fishing them.
The contamination is another menace and the fact that they swallow plastic bags, believing that these are jelly fishes. The constructions on the beaches reduce their habitat, because reduce their laying places, and the touristic development without a good planning, is very harmful too.
As a conclusion, we can assert that all the sea turtles of the world are in Danger of Extinction or in Extreme Danger of Extinction. According to The Red List of The World Union for Nature(UICN).
We most be aware of this critical and extreme situation about the survival of the sea turtles. This situation concerns every one and each person of this generation, the next and for the future ones.