Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

What They Look Like
Green sea turtles are the largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles, sometimes growing more than 3 feet long and weighing between 300-350 pounds. Their heads are relatively small when compared to the size of their bodies, but are marked with an attractive tortoise pattern around their face and eyes. The carapace of green turtles can be shades of many colors: black, gray, green, brown, or yellow.

Where to See Them
Green sea turtles are distributed in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the globe and are thought to forage in coastal areas of more than 140 nations. When green turtles are not nesting or foraging, they can be found in the open ocean.

What They Eat
Green turtles are the only herbivorous sea turtles. It is believed that their consumption of plants makes their body fat slightly green, from which they have acquired their common name. Green turtles eat seagrass, which plays a vital role in the maintenance of coastal ecosystems and ensures overgrown seagrass beds do not become infected by disease.

How They Nest
Nesting occurs between June and September, and females will nest every two weeks during that period. Eggs will incubate for approximately 60 days before 2-inch hatchlings emerge and head to the open ocean where scientists believe they spend the first few years of their life.

Status and Threats
Breeding populations of green sea turtles in Florida and on the Pacific coast of Mexico are endangered, while all other populations are threatened. Over the past 100 years, green turtle populations have declined by 48 - 65%. The principal cause of global decline has been direct harvest of eggs, nesting females and turtles foraging in coastal waters. Fishing gear also harms green turtles, specifically traps, trawls, and gillnets.