Getting to know

MARINE TURTLES
N.B. Ramoso, jr. and R.F. Salinas, DVM and R.U. Borja
BIODIVERSITY MAANAGEMENT BUREAU (bmb)
Department of environment and natural resources (DENR)
What are marine turtles?
• Air-breathing reptiles
• Spend most of their time swimming in the
sea
• Instead of legs, they have flippers that work
like paddles for swimming
• Cannot retract their heads into their shell
so their skulls are hardened for additional
protection
 Difference between marine turtles
and other turtle species

Soft-shelled turtles Terrapins/sliders

 Carapace

Pre-frontal
scales

Plastron

Parts to remember in a marine turtle

Species of marine turtles found in the
Philippines:
There are seven species of marine turtles found all over
the world, five of which are found in the Philippines:
• Green turtle
• Hawksbill turtle
• Olive ridley turtle
• Loggerhead turtle
• Leatherback turtle
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)

The only sea turtle that feeds solely on sea grass

Its body fat is colored green, hence its name
The second largest marine turtle species in the country
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Named for its narrow

head and bird-like beak
Feeds on sponges, soft
corals
Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

The smallest marine turtle species

Feeds on shrimps, jelly fish, fish, sea grass
Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

Called so because of its large head

Feeds on shell fishes, crabs
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The largest marine
turtle
Instead of a hard
shell, it has a thick,
leathery skin with
longitudinal ridges
Feeds on jellyfish
 Species
Identification
Guide

Counting the number

of lateral scales

Counting the number

of pre-frontal scales
Mating behavior
Males generally have
longer tails than females
Mating usually occurs in
the shallow areas of the
sea (near the beach)
Many males can mate
with one female turtle
Only the females crawl
up the beach to lay their
eggs Females are ready to breed at age 35-50!
Life cycle of a marine turtle
Nesting behavior
One month after
mating, the female
comes up the beach
to lay eggs
With an interval of
two weeks, the female
returns to almost the
same area to lay eggs
for 2-5 more times
Sometimes, many females will lay their eggs in
one beach all at the same time!
Egg laying
Marine turtle eggs
look like ping pong
balls

Depending on the
species, turtles can lay
from 40-190 eggs in
one nest
A green turtle forms a large body pit during
nesting/laying.
• Without maternal care,
eggs hatch after 45-70
days
• Nest can only be
excavated 3-5 days after
the first emergence