![]() ![]() From late April through September, females haul their heavy bodies across the beach to lay their eggs above the high water line. In Hawaii, green turtles breed every two or more years. These isolated islands are part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Hawaiian green turtles navigate up to 800 miles to nest at a group of small atolls (low islets) called French Frigate Shoals. Fortunately, in Hawaii more than 90% of the nesting activity takes place far from highly populated main islands. Nesting: In many places in the world, development has destroyed the green sea turtles' nesting beaches. Males use the claws on their fore flippers to cling to the female and may mate on an annual basis. Green turtles mate in the water, close to shore and generally near their nesting beach. Determining the sex of an animal by using external body characteristics is called sexual dimorphism. In sexually mature animals, the difference between males and females is easy to see. ![]() Reproduction: Green turtles are slow-growing reptiles and do not reach sexual maturity until somewhere between 10 and 59 years of age. ![]() At around 3-5 years of age, they move closer to shore where they forage for limu (algae and seagrass). During these lost years, green turtles float in ocean currents in the pelagic zone (open ocean) searching for a carnivorous (animal based) diet. When both species benefit: the turtle gets its shell cleaned and the fish gets a meal, this special relationship is called mutualism.ĭiet: Researchers know so little about sea turtles' early lives that they call the first few years the lost years. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship (a long standing relationship between two species). Sometimes, small groups of fish cluster around green turtles pecking at their shells. Its shell is mostly dark brown and may be covered with patches of green algae. ![]() The green sea turtle gets its name from the color of its fat. Hawaiian green turtles are slightly smaller than their Atlantic cousins. This is the largest of the hard-shelled turtles weighing up to 440 pounds and measuring up to 4 feet. General Description: Of the three native Hawaiian species, the most common is the green sea turtle.
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