Green sea turtles are found along many of the world's tropical and temperate zones, often migrating long distances between their feeding grounds and nesting sites. One sea turtle was even recorded traveling over 1,600 miles during one migration – that's further than a trip from the West to East coasts of the Continental US!
As adults, green sea turtles graze on seagrasses, and algae, but won't pass up the occasional yummy Jellyfish drifting by. Research has shown a balanced population of green sea turtles in a region can actually improve the health of the seagrass beds, since they prefer to trim the tops of the grass with their sharp beak rather than pull them from the root. This is important for coastal communities like #miami where the seagrass beds of #biscaynebay hold the sediment in place and filter our toxins from the water.
Though considered endangered internationally, in the US they have been delisted as threatened thanks to community action across the country to protect the species. You can learn more about green sea turtles on @loggerheadmarinelifecenter or @conserveturtles 💙
Follow along on our ocean journey as we share more keystone species that will soon be brought to life on the #seaofconenctions mural! More to share soon in collaboration with the @oceanicpreservationsociety 🤗
Artwork by @kellyofthewild
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#seaturtle#seaturtlelove#seaturtlelover#seaturtleart#seaturtles#seaturtleconservation#seaturtlerescue#scientificillustration#marinescience#oceanart#oceanlove#steamlearning#steameducation
Meet the largest sea turtle in the ocean, a featured species in the #seaofconnections mural! The Leatherback sea turtle gets its name from the rubber-like shell, that's actually a collection of thousands of tiny bone plates that make it appear “leathery.” They are usually between 4-6 feet in length, but the largest individual was 10 feet from beak to tail and weighed over 2,000lbs! Their massive size, powerful flippers, and stream-lined body make them true pelagic navigators, enabling them to swim thousands of miles over open ocean and against fast currents.
In Florida, leatherbacks nest almost exclusively on the east coast of Florida (except for a few spots on the Gulf), with about 30% of all nests in the state occurring in Palm Beach County. Globally, Leatherback's are considered vulnerable by the IUCN, but many subpopulations, including the Florida turtles, are Endangered.
The greatest threats to Leatherback sea turtles are unsustainable commercial fisheries where they are often entangled as bycatch, and marine pollution such as balloons and plastic bags that are mistaken as food.
Learn more about this species and how you can help protect them on @loggerheadmarinelifecenter and follow @oceanicpreservationsociety to learn how you can help protect our ocean globally!
Illustration by @kellyofthewild
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#seaturtle#seaturtles#seaturtlelove#seaturtlelover#leatherbackseaturtle#loggerheadmarinelifecenter#palmbeach#seaturtleart#seaturtleconservation#oceanresearch#oceanlove#oceanlover#turtlelover#scientificillustration#marinescience#steamlearning#steameducation