SEA TURTLES

Sea turtles are one of the Earth's most ancient creatures. The seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years.

• The sea turtle's shell or "carapace" is streamlined for swimming through the water. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. 
• Their color varies between yellow, greenish and black depending on the species.
• Sea turtles subsist on a diet of jellyfish.
• They are found in all warm and temperate waters, they spend most of their lives in the water.
• Sea turtles will return to the same nesting grounds at which they were born. 
• When females come to the shore they dig out a nest in the ground with their back flippers, bury their clutch of eggs and return to the ocean. After hatching, the young may take as long as a week to dig themselves out of the nest. 
• They emerge at night, and move toward the ocean. 
• During this way, they are a source of food for crabs, birds, and other marine animals. 
• Also, the artificial lighting coming from beachside communities confuses turtles making them more vulnerable to predators.

In this video they can see the turtles, hatching and going to the sea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGoayx3Hvo4

TYPES OF SEA TURTLES

A TURTLE TALE

Once upon a time, a sea turtle, called Bonnie, traveled over 1,000 

miles, her aim was not to fail.

She was headed to a southern beach, the same one on which she 

hatched. She finally arrived and started her trek, a trek that dared to 

be matched.

She was tired and worn from her long ocean swim, yet she pulled 

herself up on the shore. She scooped out a nest in the soft sandy, 

beach, knowing exactly what was in store.

She laid 100 eggs in that coastal nest, and covered them all up with 

sand. She returned to the sea that very same night, leaving her 

hidden eggs up on the land.

Then two months later something amazing happened - hatchlings 

emerged from the nest! They scrambled about trying to get to the 

ocean, their instincts just wouldn't rest.

Their journey, however, had just begun, the light of the moon was the

key. Across the wide beach they must race for the waves, to begin 

their life in the sea.

• Now, help the baby turtles, using the maze below, and try to 

find the way to the ocean. But be careful...you never know 

what's going to cross your path! And also avoid the dangers!

MAKE YOUR OWN TURTLE!

1. Choose a turtle type to color, either a sea turtle or a box turtle.

2. Take a paper plate and the turtle sheet.

3. Color the turtle sheet and plate bottom to resemble a real turtle and its shell.

4. Carefully cut out the turtle parts. One head (H), a left front leg (LF), a right front leg (RF), a left rear leg (LR), a right rear leg (RR) and a tail (T).

5. Place the area of the turtle cut out pieces behind the dotted line under the paper plate. Using glue or a stapler, attach the turtle cut out pieces in their appropriate places.