Turtle Life Cycle

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Turtles are Reptiles

What is a Reptile?
Most reptiles lay eggs The babies look like miniature versions of the adult Generally, no parental care is given. Babies need to fend for themselves.

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Quick Turtle Facts

Turtles live between 40 and 200 years (Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd,
2009). There are over 300 species of turtles around the world with slightly different life cycles (Wikipedia, 2002) Sea turtles have survived for over 120 million years. Their unique life cycle, body shape, strength and tenacity have enabled them to adapt to a constantly changing environment over a period in which many other animals including dinosaurs became extinct (Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd, 2008). Turtles can live both on land and in water, as they breathe in both environments.

Basic Turtle Life Cycle

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 Turtles hatch from eggs. The female sea turtle comes onto land to lay her eggs (using hind

legs to dig the hole in the sand), while the male spends his entire life in the ocean. The clutch of 50-170 ping-pong ball-like eggs which incubate for 6-13 weeks. They lay between 3-7 nests per season. The mother leaves the nest. The warmth from the sun causes the eggs to hatch. The hatchlings emerge from nest and head towards brightest horizon (Musick & Lawrence, 2003). A variety of factors can affect the hatching success of sea turtles. Such as temperature, natural predators, environmental issues such as plastic bags, fishing nets, oil spills & sand mining (Musick & Lawrence, 2003). Only one in a thousand hatchlings survive the 30-50 years it takes a sea turtle to reach breeding age (Canin & Henkel, 2006).

Turtle Life Cycle

Images from: Arkive.org

Sea Turtle Life Cycle

Image from: www.sharkbay.org/assets/images/turtle%20breeding%20cycle%20thumb.jpg

Short Video Clips

Click here to see part of
the turtle life cycle

Click here to see turtle eggs hatching

 When they are about 40 years old they will come back to

the same beach to mate and lay their eggs (Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd, 2009). Some turtles can live to be over 100 years old (Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd, 2009). But some turtles do not even make it past the egg stage. Turn the page to see why.

Image from: www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/turbreed.htm

Human Threats to Life Cycle

Turtle eggs moved because of oil spill

Click here to see

Image of drawing: Pelf-ism is contagious blog, (2007), from http://chenpn.com/2008/04/08/some-students-can-really-draw/

Factors that affect the Turtles Life Cycle

Life Cycle Stage
Egg

Threats to Life Cycle

Humans Dogs and Pigs Flooding Artificial light Predators Plastic bags Fishing lines Fishing lines Hunting/poaching

Hatchling

Juvenile

Adult

Female lays eggs Male returns to feeding grounds

Polluted beaches Hunting/poaching Noise and light

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References

Arkive. (n.d). Turtles. Wildscreen, from http://www.arkive.org/explore/species?q=turtles Arkive. (n.d-a). Giant south american turtle, from http://www.arkive.org/giant-south-americanturtle/podocnemis-expansa/video-09b.html Canin, J., & Henkel, C. (Writers). (2006). One in a thousand. In Hatchling Productions (Producer). Australia. Fordham, D., Georges, A., & Corey, B. (2007). Optimal conditions for egg storage, incubation and post-hatching growth for the freshwater turtle, Chelodina rugosa: Science in support of an indigenous enterprise. Science Direct, 270, 105-114. Musick, S., & Lawrence, L. (2003). Sea Turtle Science. A research-based middle and high school classroom resource. In N. M. E. Association (Ed.), Bridge (pp. 11). Minnesota, USA: National Marine Educators Association. National Geographic Kids. (2010). Gulf turtle eggs relocated, from http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/animals-news/us-oil-spill-turtlerelocation-vin.html Sea Turtle Conservancy. (2008). Tour de turtles: A sea turtle migration marathon Retrieved 3rd October, 2010 Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd. (2008). Sea turtle foundation Retrieved 23rd October, 2010 Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd (Writer). (2009). Turtle trials. Australia: Sea Turtle Foundation. SolaMedia. (2009). Turtle: The incredible journey, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=somiE24YeHQ&noredirect=1 Wikipedia. (2002). Turtles Retrieved 23rd October, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle