Expected learning outcome: taxonomic status, feeding habits, distribution and description of sea turtles ; legal protection provided to sea turtle under international law ; Conservation goals and measure to protect sea turtles

1. Taxonomic status
and biology of
sea turtle
Presented By :-
Anjali Kumari(COF/02/2019)
Aryan Kumar Roy(COF/05/2019)
Course No : FRM-321
Course : Aquatic mammals , reptiles and
amphibians

2. Introduction
• Sea turtle called marine turtles are
reptiles of order testudines and of
the suborder cryptodrea. The
seven existing species of sea turtle
are the flatback, green , hawksbill ,
leatherback , loggerhead , kemps
ridley and olive ridley sea turtle .
Sea turtle can be separated into
the categories of hard – shelled
(Cheloniid) and leathery – shelled
(Dermochelyid) species which
is the leatherback sea turtle .

3. Taxonomic classification
 Kingdom :- Animalia
 Phylum :- Chordata
 Class :- Reptilia
 Order :- Testudines
 Suborder :- Cryptodira
 Clade :- Americhelydea
 Clade :- Pancheloniodea
 Superfamily :- Chelonidae

4. Description
• For each of the seven types of sea turtles , females and males are the same size ,
there is no sexual dimorphisms.
• In general , sea turtle have a more fusiform body plan their terrestrial or
freshwater counterparts . This tapering at both ends reduces volumes and means
that sea turtle cannot retract their heads and limbs into their shells for protection.
• The leatherback sea turtle is the largest sea turtle measuring (2-3m ) in length , (1-
1.5 m) width and weighing up to 700 kg . Other sea turtles species are smaller
being mostly 60-120 cm long and proportionally narrower .

5. Distribution and
Habitat
• Sea turtles can be found in all oceans except for the polar
regions . The flatback sea turtle is found solely on the
northern coast of Australia .
• Sea turtles are generally found in the water over
continental self .
• During the 5-6 years of life , sea turtles spend most of
their time in the pelagic zone floating in seaweed mats .
• Green sea turtle particularly found in sargassum mats in
which they find food , shelter and water .
• Once the sea turtle has reached adulthood it moves closer
to the shore . Females will come ashore to lay their eggs
on sandy beaches during the nesting season .

6. Diet :-
The loggerhead , kemps ridley , olive ridley and hawksbill sea turtle are omnivores along their
entire life . Omnivores turtle may beat a wide variety of plants and animal including decapods ,
seagrasses , sponges , molluscan , and fish .
The diet of green sea turtle changes with ages . Juveniles are omnivores but as they mature , they
become exclusively herbivores .
Green sea turtle have a serrated jaw that is used to eat seagrass and algae
Leatherback sea turtle feed almost exclusively on jellyfish and helps to control jellyfish
populations .

7. Life Cycle
• Males and females sea turtles age in the ocean and
migrate to shallow coastal water .
• They mates in the water near offshore nesting sites .
• The adults male sea turtle return to the feeding sites in
the water .
• Females sea turtles cycle between mating and nesting .
• Females sea turtle lay their eggs .
• When the season is over , female sea turtles return
to feeding sites .
• Baby sea turtles incubate for 60-80 days and hatch .
• Newly hatched baby sea turtle emerge from nests and
travel from the shore to the water .
• Baby sea turtle mature in the ocean until they are ready
to begin the cycle again .

8. LEATHERBACK TURTLE
(Dermochelys coriacea):- Distribution :-Tropical to
subarctic latitude
Ecosystem :- coastal to open
ocean
Taxonomy :-
• Order :- Testudines
• Family :- Dermochelyidae
• Genus :- Dermochelys
• Species :- coriacea

9. Description
It is named after their pointed beaks which resembles of
birds .
It is 114cm long and 50 to 68kg weight .
Female turtle return to the same nesting groun dv where
they were lays their eggs .

10. CONTD....
• Leatherback sea turtles reaching weight of up to 2200 pounds(1000kg) .
• It is the largest living turtle on the planet . Unlike all other marine turtles, these turtle
does not have a hard bony carapace .
• It has a tough, rubbery shell that is composed of cartilage –like tissues .

11. Green turtle
(Chelonia mydas )
Ecosystem / habitats :- seagrass
beds
 Feeding habits :- herbivore
Taxonomy :-
• Order :- testudines
• Family :- Cheloniidae ( hard –
shelled sea turtle )
• Genus :- chelonia
• Species :- mydas

12. Description
The green sea turtle is
the largest species of
hard shelled turtles
and second largest of
all sea turtles .
They are 3-4 feet long
and weigh 300 to 350
pound ( 136 to 159 kg )
.
They live for 60 to 70
years , reaching sexual
maturity at 25 to 35
years old .

13. Olive ridley
turtle (Lepidochelys
olivacea)
Ecosystem :- coastal water
Feeding habits :- foraging predator
Taxonomy :-
• order :- testudines
• Family :- Cheloniidae ( hard –shelled
sea turtle )
• Genus :- lepidochelys
• Species :- olivacea

14. Description
• It is the most abundant sea turtle species in the
world . It is one of the smallest sea turtle species
at only 2to 2.5feet long and 80 to 100 pounds (
36 to 50 kg ) .
• They are named for the olive coloration of their
heart shaped cells .
• It can sleep underwater for 2hrs before coming
up for air .

15. Hawkbill turtle
(Eretmochelys
imbricata )
Ecosystem :- coral reefs
Feeding habits :- foraging
predators
Taxonomy :-
• Order:- testudines
• Family:- Cheloniidae
• Genus :- Eretmochelys
• Species :- imbricata

16. Kemps ridley turtle
(Lepidochelys kempii )
Distribution :-parts of Mediterranean
Ecosystem :- coastal to open ocean
Feeding habits :- foraging predator
Taxonomy :-
• Order:- testudines
• Family :- Cheloniidae
• Genus :- lepidochelys
• Species :- kempii

17. Description
• It is the smallest and most
endangered sea turtle species .
• It is 61 to 67 cm long and weight
45kg .
• They have jaws with large crushing
surface that allows them to feed
primarily on crabs .

18. Flatback turtle (Natator
depresus) Distribution :- coastal water
of Australia
Ecosystem /habitat :-
seagrass bed
Feeding habits :- predator
Taxonomy :-
• Order : -testudines
• Family :- Cheloniidae
• Genus :- Natator
• Species :- depressus

19. Description
• It is named for the relative flatness of its
shell .
• It grows to be 31 to 37 inches long and
weight 100kg.
• During the nesting season ,flatbacks lays
2or 3 clutches , each containing about 50
eggs .
• It primarily eat soft bodied prey such as
jellyfish , sea cucumber and soft corals .

20. Loggerhead
turtle ( Caretta
caretta )
Ecosystem /habitat :- coastal to
open water
Feeding habits :- foraging
predator
Taxonomy :-
• Order :-testudines
• Family :- Cheloniidae
• Genus :-Caretta
• Species :- caretta

21. Description
It is a very large
bodied sea turtle
named for its broad
strong head .
They are 3feet long
(0.9m)m long and
weight of 113kg .
It takes up to 39 years
to reach sexual
maturity .
These turtle use their
muscular heads and
powerful jaws to
crush the shell of
queen conch ,
Carribean sea lobster
and other hard –
shelled invertebrates.

22. Legal Protection of Sea Turtles
1) The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA)
• It has been administered by the U.S. Departments of Interior and Commerce. It
seeks to stop the extinction of wild animals and plants in the United States, other
nations, and at sea. All sea turtles except the flatback are listed as threatened or
endangered on the U.S. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants List. It is
illegal to harm, or in any way interfere with, a sea turtle or its eggs.

23. 2) Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
CITES is an international treaty, developed in 1973, to regulate trade in
certain wildlife species.
CITES Appendix I includes species identified as endangered (species faces a
very high risk of extinction). All sea turtle species are listed under Appendix I
in CITES.

24. 3) International Union for the Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
IUCN/The World
Conservation Union is a
worldwide
conservation
organization.
This organization links
together government
agencies, non-
government agencies,
and independent states
to encourage a
worldwide approach to
conservation.
The hawksbill and
Kemp's ridley sea
turtles are both listed
as critically endangered
(the species faces an
extremely high risk of
extinction) by the IUCN.
The green, loggerhead,
and olive ridley sea
turtles are all listed as
endangered (species
faces a very high risk of
extinction).

25. Conservation Goals
• The threats facing sea turtles are
numerous and, for the most part,
humans are the problem. For those of us
trying to protect sea turtles, it is a mixed
blessing that so many threats are
human-caused. On one hand, it is very
hard to change human behavior. On the
other hand, at least there is hope for
eliminating threats. If sea turtles were
going extinct because of geological or
climatic changes, there would be very
little we could do to help.

26. Some immediate goals for protecting sea turtles include
Crack down on illegal international trade in sea turtles and their products by enforcing laws and agreements.
Crack down
Decrease the turtle deaths caused by commercial fishing through enforcement of Turtle Excluder Device (TED) and gill net regulations.
Decrease
Protect nesting beaches by establishing parks and refuges or through regulations combined with public education initiatives.
Protect
Eliminate disturbances at nesting beaches by decreasing artificial lighting, halting beach armoring, regulating beach nourishment and limiting
the impacts of people on the beach.
Eliminate
Enforce national and international laws to minimize the dumping of pollutants and solid waste into the ocean and nearshore waters.
Enforce
Continue research and monitoring activities so that the population can be monitored and conservation efforts can be focused where they are
most needed.
Continue
Increase public awareness and community participation in sea turtle conservation through educational programs such as this.
Increase

27. References :-
• www.oceana.org.com
• www.wikipedia.org
• Information About Sea Turtles: Conservation Strategies – Sea
Turtle Conservancy (conserveturtles.org)
• All About Sea Turtles - Conservation & Research | SeaWorld
Parks & Entertainment

28. THANK YOU