Green Sea Turtles: Ancient Mariners of the Ocean

Green sea turtles are one of the oldest living species on Earth, dating back over 100 million years! These gentle marine reptiles glide gracefully through tropical and subtropical oceans, including the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Let’s dive into some fascinating facts about their lifespan, migration, nesting habits, and social behaviour.

How Long Do Green Sea Turtles Live?

Green sea turtles have incredibly long lifespans, often living between 70 and 100 years. Some have even been recorded reaching over a century old! However, they take a long time to mature—between 20 and 50 years before they are ready to reproduce.

The Incredible Journey: How Far Do They Travel?

Green sea turtles are highly migratory and can travel thousands of kilometres between their feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Some have been tracked migrating over 2,600 km across the ocean!

Example: Turtles that feed in the Great Barrier Reef often migrate to beaches in the Torres Strait, Indonesia, or even further to lay their eggs.

Nesting and Egg-Laying: A Tough Start to Life

Female green sea turtles return to the same beaches where they were born to lay their eggs—sometimes travelling across entire oceans to get there!

The nesting process:

• Digging the nest – At night, the female hauls herself onto the beach, digs a deep hole with her back flippers, and lays around 100–150 eggs.

• Burying the eggs – She covers them with sand to protect them from predators.

• Hatching – After about 6 to 8 weeks, the baby turtles hatch and race towards the ocean—a dangerous journey as birds, crabs, and other predators wait for an easy meal.

• Survival odds – Only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood!

Do Green Sea Turtles Stay Together?

Nope! Green sea turtles are solitary creatures for most of their lives. After hatching, they drift alone in ocean currents, feeding on plankton and jellyfish. As they grow, they settle in shallow coastal waters, feeding on seagrass and algae. The only time they gather is during mating season, when males and females briefly meet before parting ways again. Unlike many other animals, green sea turtles do not form family groups.

Green sea turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems:

Seagrass gardeners – They graze on seagrass, preventing it from overgrowing and keeping underwater meadows healthy.

Coral reef helpers – By feeding on algae, they help keep coral reefs from being smothered.

Threats to Green Sea Turtles and How We Can Help

Sadly, green sea turtles face many dangers, including:

• Habitat destruction – Coastal development and pollution threaten nesting beaches

• Plastic pollution – Turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them.

• Climate change – Rising sand temperatures affect the sex of hatchlings, leading to more females than males, which could impact future populations.

• Fishing nets – Many turtles drown when caught accidentally in fishing gear.

How to help:

✔ Reduce plastic waste – Use reusable bags and bottles

.✔ Support conservation efforts – Many groups help protect turtle nesting sites.

✔ Be a responsible tourist – Avoid disturbing turtles when snorkelling or diving.

Final Fun Fact!

Green sea turtles get their name from the greenish colour of their fat, not their shells! Their shells can actually be shades of brown, olive, or black depending on where they live.

These ancient mariners have been swimming Earth’s oceans for millions of years—let’s do our part to protect them for generations to come!

Want to learn more about Australia’s incredible wildlife? Check out our Wild About Wildlife activity book for more fun facts and puzzles!