While green sea turtles spend most of their time in warmer water, young turtles
sometimes spend their summers in New England waters.

Size  Up to 5 feet long

Diet  Plant matter, squids, crabs and other small sea creatures

Lifespan  Possibly 100 years or more

Range  Tropical to temperate waters worldwide

Habitat  Adult green sea turtles prefer coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves,
while hatchlings and juveniles live farther from shore.

Predators  Foxes, weasels, cats, dogs, raccoons, crabs and more eat eggs and
hatchlings. Sharks and other large fishes prey on juveniles and adults.

Relatives  There are seven species of sea turtles: green, loggerhead,
Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, hawksbill, flat back and leatherback.

Family life  Females bury clutches of approximately 100 eggs on tropical or subtropical beaches. Once the eggs are buried, the females return to the sea. The eggs hatch after several months, and the hatchlings race for the sea before they can be eaten by crabs or sea gulls. It can take more than 20 years for sea turtles to reach breeding age.

Conservation status  Endangered  They are threatened by accidental bycatch in fishing gear, habitat loss, water pollution and the collection of turtles and their eggs for human consumption.

Sea turtles and climate change   Rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and other trends are having an effect on the world’s sea turtles. Read more ...

Explore other profiles   Check out lionfish, sand tiger sharks and American lobsters.