A Glimpse Into Sea Turtles’ Diet: What They Eat

Indeed, sea turtles have existed for approximately 110 million years, populating nearly all oceans, except the Arctic Ocean. Some creative expressions depict sea turtles as symbols of patience and perseverance.

They actively contribute to marine ecosystem sustainability. Due to their varied habitats, sea turtles exhibit diverse feeding preferences. Seven distinct sea turtle species exist, each with its unique dietary habits. Let’s delve into a sea turtle’s diet!

What Sea Turtles Consume

1. Loggerheads Sea Turtles

Loggerhead turtles reside in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. They nest between April and September, creating 3-5 nests per season and laying approximately 35 pounds of eggs.

While Loggerhead hatchlings are omnivores, adults prefer a diet rich in crabs, whelks, and conchs.

2. Green Sea Turtles

Green sea turtles roam the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, known for their endurance in swimming long distances. Their serrated jaws allow them to relish a wide array of food.

While juvenile Green sea turtles are carnivorous, feeding on fish eggs, mollusks, jellyfish, worms, sponges, and algae, as they mature, they become omnivores, shifting to a diet primarily consisting of seagrasses and algae.

3. Hawksbill Sea Turtles

Hawksbill sea turtles primarily inhabit tropical reefs in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans.Differentiating themselves from other sea turtle species, Hawksbill turtles have a sharp and prominent beak. They exhibit a striking feature where their shell can change color based on the seawater temperature. Hawksbill turtles are known for their fast nest-building ability compared to other sea turtle species. With omnivorous eating habits, they enjoy a diet including sea sponges, algae, marine plants, jellyfish, and mollusks. The Leatherback Sea Turtles, the largest sea turtle species globally, can reach lengths of 6-9 feet and weigh up to 2000 pounds. They derive their name from their sturdy, oily, leather-like shells and can be found in the Atlantic, Eastern, and Western Pacific Oceans. Leatherback turtles prefer swimming in the open ocean and tend to avoid coral reefs. Their diet consists of jellyfish, sea squirts, tunicates, and cephalopods, making them distinctly different from other sea turtles. Flatback Sea Turtles have a unique smooth, flat-domed shell, reaching sizes of 31-37 inches and weighing up to 100 kgs. These turtles inhabit shallow tropical and sub-tropical waters, where they feed on a variety of foods such as seaweeds, sea cucumbers, jellyfish, shrimp, and crabs. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles, the smallest and most endangered among the seven sea turtle species, undergo color changes as they mature. Their diet includes mollusks, crustaceans, jellyfish, marine fishes, algae, seaweeds, sea urchins, and crabs for younger turtles. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are proficient hunters, preying on shelled organisms like mollusks and crustaceans as well as jellyfish, marine fishes, algae, seaweeds, and sea urchins. They are depicted in the image, showcasing their diverse feeding habits.

Residing primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Olive Ridley turtles are the second-smallest sea turtle species and are carnivores. Their diet commonly consists of jellyfish, tunicates, sea urchins, snails, shrimps, crabs, and lobsters.

The Sea Turtle’s Diet Expansion: Plastic Consumption

Consuming plastic can lead to blockages in sea turtles’ respiratory and digestive tracts, causing breathing difficulties and starvation. This can hinder their growth and impact their ability to reproduce.

Research indicates that approximately 52% of the global sea turtle population has ingested plastic waste. Due to their resemblance to jellyfish, a favorite food, sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for prey. This new threat in their environment has heightened the risk of endangerment to the sea turtle population.

A Message From the Ocean

Ocean Jewelry’s mission is to protect sea turtles. A portion of our proceeds is dedicated to addressing the persistent problem of plastic pollution to ensure sea turtles can lead long, healthy lives as they deserve. We invite you to join us in this noble cause.

See you in the next post!