Sea Turtle
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle
Conservation status
Endangered
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Testudines Suborder: Cryptodira Superfamily: Chelonioidea Bauer, 1893
Genera
Family Cheloniidae (Oppel, 1811) Caretta Chelonia Eretmochelys Lepidochelys Natator Family Dermochelyidae Dermochelys Family Protostegidae (extinct) Family Toxochelyidae (extinct) Family Thalassemyidae (extinct)

Sea turtles (Superfamily Chelonioidea) are turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. The conservation status of a Species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins are ectothermic Reptiles most of whose Body is shielded by a special Cryptodira is the taxonomic Suborder of Testudines that includes most living Tortoises and Turtles Cryptodira differ from Pleurodira Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle ( Caretta caretta) is a Sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" The hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) is a Critically endangered Sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. Ridley Sea Turtles ( Lepidochelys) are a genus of Sea turtles with two species the Kemp's Ridley and the Olive Ridley. The Flatback Sea Turtle (or simply Flatback Natator depressus, is a Sea turtle that is endemic to the Continental shelf of The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles Protostegidae is a family of Extinct marine turtles that lived during the Mesozoic Era Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major There are seven living species of sea turtles: flatback, green, hawksbill, Kemp's Ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley. The Flatback Sea Turtle (or simply Flatback Natator depressus, is a Sea turtle that is endemic to the Continental shelf of "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" The hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) is a Critically endangered Sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. Also see Olive Ridley turtle. Kemp's Ridley ( Lepidochelys kempii) is a critically endangered species of Sea The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles The Loggerhead Sea Turtle ( Caretta caretta) is a Sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. Also see Kemp's Ridley turtle. The Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea) also known as the Pacific Ridley, is one of The East Pacific subpopulation of the green turtle was previously classified as a separate species, the black turtle, but DNA evidence indicates that it is not evolutionarily distinct from the green turtle. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" ^[1] All species except the leatherback are in the family Cheloniidae; the leatherback belongs to the family Dermochelyidae and is its only member. The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles

Contents 1 Anatomy 2 Distribution 3 Ecology and life history 3.1 Life history 4 Importance to humans 5 Conservation 6 Sea turtles and fragile ecosystems 7 Taxonomy and classification 8 Additional reading 9 References 10 External links

Anatomy

Although they have been around for tens of millions of years since the Mesozoic, the body plan of sea turtles has remained relatively constant. The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. Sea turtles possess dorsoventrally-flattened bodies with two hind legs and highly-evolved paddle-like front arms. ^[2] Different species are distinguished by varying anatomical aspects: for instance, the prefrontal scales on the head, the number of and shape of scutes on the carapace, and the type of inframarginal scutes on the plastron. A carapace is a dorsal section of an Exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups The plastron is the nearly flat part of the shell structure of a Turtle or Tortoise, what one would call the belly similar in composition to the Carapace The leatherback is the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell, instead carrying a mosaic of bony plates beneath its leathery skin. The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles It is the largest of the sea turtles, measuring six or seven feet (2 m) in length at maturity, and three to five feet (1 to 1. 5 m) in width, weighing up to 1300 pounds (650 kg). Other species are smaller, being mostly two to four feet in length (0. 5 to 1 m) and proportionally narrower. ^[3]

Distribution

The superfamily Chelonioidea has a worldwide distribution; sea turtles can be found in all oceans except for in the polar regions. Some species travel between oceans. The Flatback turtle is found solely on the northern coast of Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Ecology and life history

Life history

Sea turtles are highly sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field and use it to navigate. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" In Physics, a magnetic field is a Vector field that permeates space and which can exert a magnetic force on moving Electric charges The longevity of sea turtles has been speculated at 80 years. The fact that most species return to nest at the locations where they were born seems to indicate an imprint of that location's magnetic features. The Ridley turtles are especially peculiar because instead of nesting individually like the other species, they come ashore in one mass arrival known as an "arribada" (arrival). With the Kemp's ridley this occurs during the day and on only one beach in the entire world. Their numbers used to range in the thousands but due to the effects of extensive egg poaching and hunting in previous years the numbers are now in the hundreds.

After about 30 years of maturing, adult female sea turtles return to the land to nest at night, usually on the same beach from which they hatched. This can take place every two to four years in maturity. They make from four to seven nests per nesting season.

All sea turtles generally employ the same methods when making a nest. A mature nesting female hauls herself onto the beach until she finds suitable sand on which to create a nest. Using its hind flippers, the female proceeds to dig a circular hole 40 to 50 centimeters deep. After the hole is dug, the female then starts filling the nest with eggs one by one until it has deposited around 150 to 200 eggs, depending on the turtle's species. The nest is then re-filled with loose sand by the female, re-sculpting and smoothening the sand over the nest until it is relatively undetectable visually. The whole process takes around thirty minutes to a little over an hour. After the nest is laid, the female then returns to the ocean. ^[4]

Some of the eggs are unfertilized and the rest contain young turtles. Incubation takes about two months. The length of incubation and the gender of the hatchling depends on the temperature of the sand. Darker sands maintain higher temperatures, decreasing incubation time and increasing the frequency of female hatchlings. When the eggs hatch, these hatchlings dig their way out and seek the ocean. Only a very small proportion of them (usually . 001%) will be successful, as many predators wait to eat the steady stream of new hatched turtles (since many sea turtles lay eggs en masse, the eggs also hatch en masse).

The hatchlings then proceed into the open ocean, borne on oceanic currents that they often have no control over. While in the open ocean, it used to be the case that what happened to sea turtle young during this stage in their lives was unknown. However in 1987, it was discovered that the young of Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta spent a great deal of their pelagic lives in floating sargassum beds - thick mats of unanchored seaweed floating in the middle of the ocean. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" The Loggerhead Sea Turtle ( Caretta caretta) is a Sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. Sargassum is a genus of generally planktonic (free-floating macroalgae ( Seaweed) in the order Fucales. Seaweed is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic Multicellular, benthic marine Algae. Within these beds, they found ample shelter and food. In the absence of sargassum beds, turtle young feed in the vicinity of upwelling "fronts". Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense cooler and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface replacing the warmer ^[5] In 2007, it was verified that green turtle hatchlings spend the first three to five years of their lives in pelagic waters. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" Any water in the sea that is not close to the bottom is in the pelagic zone. Out in the open ocean, pre-juveniles of this particular species were found to feed on zooplankton and smaller nekton before they are recruited into inshore seagrass meadows as obligate herbivores. Zooplankton are the Heterotrophic (sometimes detritivorous) type of Plankton. Nekton refers to the aggregate of actively swimming aquatic organisms in a body of water (usually oceans or lakes able to move independently of water currents ^[6][7]

Importance to humans

Marine turtles are caught worldwide, despite it being illegal to hunt most of the species in many countries. ^[8][9]

A great deal of intentional marine turtle harvests worldwide are for the food industry. In many parts of the world, the flesh of sea turtles are considered fine dining. Texts dating back to the fifth century B. C. describes sea turtles as exotic delicacies in ancient China. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era ^[10] Historically, many coastal communities around the world have depended on sea turtles as a source of protein. Several turtles could be harvested at once and kept alive on their backs for months until needed. The skin of the flippers are also prized for use as shoes and assorted leather-goods.

To a much lesser extent, specific species of marine turtles are targeted not for their flesh, but for their shells. Tortoiseshell, a traditional decorative ornamental material used in Japan and China, is derived from the carapace scutes of the hawksbill turtle. Tortoiseshell is a material produced mainly from the shell of the Hawksbill turtle, an endangered species A carapace is a dorsal section of an Exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups The hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) is a Critically endangered Sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. ^[11][12] The use of marine turtle shells for decorative purposes is by no means limited to the orient. Since ancient times, the shells of sea turtles (primarily the hawksbill) have been used by the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Various articles and ornaments used by the elite of these societies, such as combs and brushes, were from processed turtle scutes. ^[13] The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped the sea and its animals. The Moche civilization (alternately the Mochica culture Early Chimu Pre-Chimu Proto-Chimu etc Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. They often depicted sea turtles in their art. ^[14]

Conservation

All species of sea turtles are endangered. Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U The leatherback, Kemp's ridley, and hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered. The olive ridley and green turtles are considered endangered, and the loggerhead is a threatened species. ^[15] The flatback's conservation status is unclear due to a lack of research data.

Sea turtles used to be hunted on a large scale in the whaling days for their meat, fat and shells. Whaling is the hunting of Whales and dates back to at least 6000 BC Coastal peoples have also been known to gather turtle eggs for consumption. ^[16] One of their most significant threats now comes from bycatch due to various fishing methods, long-line fishing has been blamed as one of the causes of accidental sea turtle deaths,^[17] and the black market demand for tortoiseshell for both decoration and supposed health benefits. For other meanings of "longline" see Longline. Longline fishing is a commercial Fishing technique that uses hundreds or even ^[18]

Nets used in shrimp trawling and fishing have been known to cause the accidental deaths of sea turtles. The turtles, as air-breathing reptiles, must surface to breathe. Caught in a fisherman's net, they are unable to go to the surface to breathe and suffocate to death in the net. In early 2007, almost a thousand sea turtles were killed inadvertently in the Bay of Bengal over the course of a few months as a result of becoming trapped in fishing nets. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. ^[19]

However some relatively inexpensive changes to fishing techniques, such as slightly larger hooks and traps from which sea turtles can escape, can dramatically cut the mortality rate. ^[20] Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDS) have reduced sea turtle bycatch in shrimp nets by 97 percent. A turtle excluder device or TED is a specialized device that allows a captured Sea turtle to escape when caught in a fisherman's net Another danger comes from marine debris, especially from abandoned fishing nets in which they can become entangled.

Beach development is another area which poses threats to sea turtles. Since sea turtles return to the same beach locations to nest, if these areas are developed they may be left with nowhere to nest, or their nesting locations may be threatened by human activity. Therefore, there has been a movement to protect these areas, in some cases by special police. In some areas, such as the east coast of Florida, after the adult turtles lay their eggs, they are dug up and relocated to special fenced nurseries where they can be protected from beach traffic. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the This is not the best thing to do, as many turtle species return to the beach on which they were born. Hatchlings find their way to the ocean by crawling towards the brightest horizon, but often become disoriented on developed stretches of coastline. Special lighting ordinances may also be enforced to prevent lights from shining on the beach and confusing young hatchlings, causing them to crawl towards the light and away from the water, usually crossing a road. A turtle-safe lighting system uses red light in place of white light as sea turtles can't see red light.

Another major threat to sea turtles is the black market trade in eggs and meat. This is a pervasive problem throughout the world, but especially a concern in the Philippines, India, Indonesia and throughout the coastal nations of Latin America. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Estimates are as high as 35,000 turtles killed a year in Mexico and the same number in Nicaragua. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America Conservationists in Mexico and the United States have launched "Don't Eat Sea Turtle" campaigns in order to reduce the urban black market trade in sea turtle products. These campaigns have involved figures such as Pope John Paul II, Dorismar, Los Tigres del Norte and Mana. Pope Dora Noemí Kerchen, born in March 1975 also known by her stage name Dorismar (also spelled Doris Mar) is a model actress television host and Argentine singer Los Tigres del Norte ( The Tigers of the North in Spanish are a norteño -band ensemble from Rosa Morada Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer famed for his role as a leader and guitarist of the influential Visual kei band Malice Mizer. Sea turtles are often consumed during the Catholic holiday, Lent, even though they are reptiles, not fish. Conservation organizations have written letters to the Pope asking that he declare turtles meat.

Moreover, global warming can also cause a threat to sea turtles. Since temperatures in the sands define the sex of the turtle while developing in the egg, many feared rising temperatures would only produce one sex, but more research remains to be done in order to understand how climate change might affect sea turtle gender distribution.

Sea turtles can also be affected by Fibropapillomatosis, a disease that has been found amongst sea turtle populations and causes tumors. Fibropapillomatosis (FP is a condition characterized by the presence of fibropapillomas neoplasms consisting of both the epidermal and dermal skin layers

Injured sea turtles are sometimes able to be rescued and rehabilitated by professional organizations such as the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, the Marine Mammal Center in Northern California^[21] and the Sea Turtle Inc. Mote Marine Laboratory (and Aquarium is a Not-for-profit research and educational institution with an aquarium open to the public 365 days a year The Marine Mammal Center is a private non-profit US organization centered on rescue rehabilitation environmental research and education regarding Marine mammals organization in South Padre Island, TX. South Padre Island is a resort community in Cameron County, Texas, United States. ^[22] One such turtle, named Nickel for the coin that was found lodged in her throat, lives at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The John G Shedd Aquarium is an indoor Public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that opened on May 30 Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States.

On September, 2007, Corpus Christi, Texas wildlife officials found a record of 128 Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests on Texas beaches, including 81 on North Padre Island (Padre Island National Seashore) and 4 on Mustang Island. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring Beaches (also known as Forever Friends) is a 1988 Academy Award -nominated movie adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the Padre Island (the world's longest Barrier island) is part of the U Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS is a National Seashore located on Padre Island off the coast of South Texas. Mustang Island is a Barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Texas in the United States. Wildlife officials released 10,594 Kemp's ridleys hatchlings along the Texas coast this year. The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the Ocean. The turtles are endangered due to shrimpers' nets and they are popular in Mexico as boot material and food. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. A boot is a type of Shoe that covers at least the Foot and the Ankle and sometimes extends up to the Knee or even the Hip. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an ^[23]

In 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service finished a joint study assessing the worldwide populations of all sea turtle species. The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS is a United States federal agency It was determined that the leatherback, the hawksbill and the Kemp's Ridley populations were endangered while that of green turtles and olive ridleys were threatened. ^[24]

In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has had several initiatives dealing with the issue of turtle conservation. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP In 2007, the province of Batangas in the Philippines declared the catching and eating of Pawikans illegal. This article is about the province For the city see Batangas City. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. However, the law seems to have little effect as pawikan eggs are still in demand in Batangan markets. This article is about the province For the city see Batangas City. Today, one can easily purchase three pawikan eggs for a mere PhP20. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. On January 23, 2008, the Coastal Resource Management Coordinator arrested and detained fisherman Israel Jimenez, 40, from Poblacion, Bacuag, Surigao del Norte who slaughtered an endangered sea turtle, pending the filing of case by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Bacuag is a 5th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. Surigao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. ^[25]

In September of 2007, several Chinese poachers were apprehended off the Turtle Islands in the country's southernmost province of Tawi-Tawi. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Poaching is the illegal Hunting, Fishing or Harvesting of wild plants or animals Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM The poachers were discovered to have collected more than a hundred sea turtles, along with 10,000 turtle eggs. ^[26]

Sea turtles and fragile ecosystems

Sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystems that are critical to them as well as to humans—the oceans and beaches/dunes. If sea turtles were to become extinct, the negative impact on beaches and the oceans would potentially be significant.

In the oceans, for example, sea turtles, especially green sea turtles, are one of the very few creatures (manatees are another) that eat a type of vegetation called sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Seagrasses (or sea-grasses in British English) are Flowering plants from one of four plant families ( Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Sea grass must be kept short to remain healthy, and beds of healthy sea grass are essential breeding and development areas for many species of fish and other marine life. A decline or loss of sea grass beds would mean a loss of the marine species that directly depend on the beds, which would trigger a chain reaction and negatively impact marine and human life. When one part of an ecosystem is destroyed, the other parts will follow.

Beaches and dunes are a fragile ecosystem that does not get many nutrients to support its vegetation, which is needed to help prevent erosion. Sea turtles contribute nutrients to dune vegetation from their eggs. Every year, sea turtles lay countless numbers of eggs in beaches during nesting season. Along one twenty-mile (32 km) stretch of beach in Florida alone, for example, more than 150,000 pounds of eggs are laid each year. Nutrients from hatched eggs as well as from eggs that never hatch and from hatchlings that fail to make it into the ocean are all sources of nutrients for dune vegetation. A decline in the number of sea turtles means fewer eggs laid, less nutrients for the sand dunes and its vegetation, and a higher risk for beach erosion.

The plight of sea turtles has been recognized around the world, and many organizations and governments are working to preserve these ancient creatures. Volunteer opportunities to save the turtles ^[27] are available in North America and around the world.

Taxonomy and classification

Sea turtles, along with other turtles and tortoises, are part of the Order Testudines. Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins are ectothermic Reptiles most of whose Body is shielded by a special

Seven distinct species of sea turtles grace our oceans today; they constitute a single radiation that was distinct from all other turtles at least 110 million years ago. During that radiation, sea turtles split into two main subgroups, which still exist today: the unique family Dermochelyidae, which consists of a single species, the leatherback; and the six species of hard-shelled sea turtle, in the family Cheloniidae. From SWOT Report, vol. 1.

• Family Cheloniidae
  • Chelonia mydas
  • Eretmochelys imbricata
  • Natator depressus
  • Caretta caretta
  • Lepidochelys kempii
  • Lepidochelys olivacea
• Family Dermochelyidae
  • Dermochelys coriacea

Additional reading

• Davidson, Osha Gray. Sea turtles ( Superfamily Chelonioidea) are Turtles found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic Ocean. "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" The hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) is a Critically endangered Sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The Flatback Sea Turtle (or simply Flatback Natator depressus, is a Sea turtle that is endemic to the Continental shelf of The Loggerhead Sea Turtle ( Caretta caretta) is a Sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. Also see Olive Ridley turtle. Kemp's Ridley ( Lepidochelys kempii) is a critically endangered species of Sea Also see Kemp's Ridley turtle. The Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea) also known as the Pacific Ridley, is one of The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of all living turtles (2001. ) "Fire in the Turtle House: The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean. " United States: United States of Public Affairs. ISBN 1-5864-8199-1.

• Sizemore, Evelyn (2002). The Turtle Lady: Ila Fox Loetscher of South Padre. Ila Fox Loetscher (1904 &ndash January 4, 2000) also known as the "Turtle Lady" was a female aviation pioneer and noted advocate for the care and preservation Plano, Texas: Republic of Texas Press, 220. ISBN 1556228961.  

• Spotila, James R. (2004). "Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation. " Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-8007-6.

• Witherington, Blair E. (2006). “Sea Turtles: An Extraordinary Natural History of Some Uncommon Turtles. ” St. Paul: Voyageur Press. ISBN 0-7603-2644-4.

References

External links

• SWOT - The State of the World's Sea Turtles - up-to-date information on global sea turtle populations
• Oceana - scientists are tracking turtles in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic to find out more about their habits in the deep sea
• Conserving Turtles on a Global Scale
• Underwater video of turtles in the Red Sea, Egypt
• Preserving Turtles
• Seaturtle.org - dedicated to providing online resources and solutions in support of sea turtle conservation and research
• EuroTurtle - European sea turtle conservation and education
• ASUPMATOMA - dedicated to providing public education and awareness about the endangered sea turtles and environmental issues impacting Southern Baja California, Mexico

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